172 P. 655 | Idaho | 1918
This is an original proceeding for a writ of mandate to compel the defendants to pay over to the plaintiff the sum of $50,000 for the use and benefit of the University of Idaho and to compel them to correct the boobs and records of their respective offices by canceling thereon all entries showing the aforesaid sum to be a part of the general fund of the state of Idaho, and for general relief. The petition alleges in substance that the fund in question was paid by the United States to the defendant Eagleson, as state treasurer, on July 10, 1917, under the provisions of the act of Congress August 30, 1890, 26 Stat. 417, as amended by the act of Congress March 4, 1907, 34 Stat. 1256, providing for the appropriation from the public treasury of the United States of the sum of $50,000 annually for the more complete endowment and maintenance of each of certain designated classes of colleges, of which the University of Idaho is one.
Defendants have demurred to the petition on the grounds:
1st. That it does not state facts sufficient to entitle the plaintiff to the relief prayed;
2d. That it appears from the petition that the sum in question has been deposited in the general fund and that to grant the relief prayed for would be a violation of sec. 13, art. 7 of the constitution of the state of Idaho, which provides that no money shall be drawn from the treasury but in pursuance of appropriations made by law, and that it does not appear from the petition that any appropriation has been made therefor.
3d. That the petitioner has a plain, speedy and adequate remedy at law, in that if defendant Eagleson is withholding funds properly belonging to petitioner the same can be recovered in an action at law.
By three acts of Congress, namely: Act of July 2, 1862, U. S. Compiled Statutes 1916, sec. 8870; act of August 30, 1890, Id., sees. 8871 to 8876, inclusive; act of March’4, 1907, Id., sec. 8877, the sum of $50,000 is appropriated for the use
Our state legislature by IT. B. 192, Sess. Laws 1909, p. 38, approved the action of the board of regents in establishing and maintaining a college of agriculture in accordance with the foregoing acts of Congress.
It is apparent that the fund in question cannot properly be placed in the general fund of the state of Idaho. (Yale College v. Sanger, 62 Fed. 177.) The exclusive supervision of the fund is vested by the act of Congress in the trustees of the institution designated by the state legislature as the beneficiary entitled to receive the fund. (State Board of Agriculture v. Auditor General, 180 Mich. 349, 147 N. W. 529.) Under the acts of Congress, the state treasurer, to whom the fund is transmitted by the Secretary of the treasury, has, with reference to this fund, a mere clerical or ministerial duty to perform, that is, to pay over the fund immediately to the treasurer of the board of trustees, in this case the board of regents, upon their order. The acts of the defendants, state treasurer and state auditor, in this instance, of placing this fund in the general fund by making appropriate entries upon their books to that end were mere nullities. (Blaine County v. Fuld, ante, p. 358, 171 Pac. 1138.) Under the acts of Congress in question the state auditor has no duty whatever to perform with respect to this fund and no authority over it. It is therefore apparent that the de