Page:North Dakota Reports (vol. 48).pdf/849

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STATE EX REL v. WALLACE
825

which deals extensively with the interpretation of those terms, citing therein at length the decisions of many courts dealing with their interpretations; but, if we are correct in the conclusion at which we have arrived—and of that we are quite certain—such reasoning has no application to this case.

I will at this point give some consideration to the majority opinion, which we think gives no effect to chap. 61. Section 176 of the Consitution as amended, which as we understand its meaning, permits personal property to be classified for the purpose of taxation, requiring, however, the tax to be uniform on the same class of property. Bank stock has been so classified. Chap. 61, we contend, deals with the valuation and assessment of that class, while chap. 230 relates, as we claim) to the taxation of the stock of corporations and associations generally other than banks.

It cannot be contemplated nor successfully contended that the legislature was engaged in an idle act in passing chap. 61, especially in view of the fact that it aws passed at the identical time as was chap. 230.

The majority opinion is to the effect that the meaning of chap. 62 is plain. It is, however, very clear that its meaning and intent is not deducible from that act alone, but from all of the laws and statutes which we have heretofore mentioned. We think also that state banks of this state have always construed chap. 61, or § 2115, C. L. 1913, as applicable to banks only, and that they were placed in a special class for the purpose of taxation; that, even during the time that the money and credit acts of 1915 and 1917 (chap. 255, Laws 1915, and chap. 230, Laws 1917) were in force, we think it a matter of common knowledge that they paid the taxes on their stock by virtue of the provisions of chap. 61 and § 2115.

Let us look a little further to find additional proof that the legislature in the enactment of chaps. 61 and 230 at the same time had placed bank stock in one class and the stock of other corporations in another and distinct class for the purpose of taxation. Under chap. 61 bank stock is assessed in the county, town, district, city, or village where the bank or trust company is located, and not elsewhere, and this whether such stockholders reside in such place or not; they are there assessed with regard to their ownership and value on the 1st day of April each year. The statute thus fixes the situs of taxation of bank stock; those who own bank stock must pay a tax at the situs fixed by the statute; as to nonresident owners of bank stock, if it should be contended that