Launder v. City of Chicago

Citations

• 111 Ill. 291

Syllabus

<p>1. Licenses — granted upon conditions. Where a person takes out a license to engage in a business he otherwise would have no right to carry on, he takes a privilege subject to the restrictions and burdens imposed by the ordinance under which, alone, it can issue, — and this is a recognition of the validity of the ordinance.</p> <p>2. Same — licenses to pawn-brokers — power to attach conditions.- Under the grant of power by the general law (Rev. Stat. chap! 24, sec. 62, sub. 41,) to cities and villages, it is purely discretionary whether the ‘authorities will license and regulate the business of pawn-brokers, or wholly prohibit and suppress business by them. In such case, if a city grants a license, it may impose such conditions and burdens as it may see fit.</p> <p>3. Same — ordinance relating to pawn-brokers — whether unreasonable. An ordinance of the city of Chicago requiring every licensed pawn-broker to make out and deliver to the superintendent of police, every day, before the hour of twelve o’clock 11., a legible and correct copy from a book to be kept by him, of all personal property and other valuable things received on deposit or purchased during the preceding day, together with the time (meaning the hour) when received or purchased, and a description of the person or persons by whom left in pledge or from whom purchased, is not unreasonable, but is a reasonable means to keep the pawn-broker business free from great abuse by thieves, and for the prevention arid detection of crime. Nor is such ordinance tyrannical and oppressive, because no one is bound to bring himself within its provisions.</p> <p>4. Such an ordinance is not open to the objection that it makes the licensee guilty of an offence for not making a public disclosure of his business transactions. Giving the required information to a public officer of the law, does not give publicity to his business. It is not to be presumed that the chief of police will make an improper use of the information