United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. United Verde Copper Co., 196 U.S. 207 (1905)

United States v. United Verde Copper Company

No. 68

Argued December 2, 1904

Decided January 9, 1905

196 U.S. 207

Syllabus

An apt and sensible meaning must be given to words as they are used in a statute, and the association of words must be regarded as designed, and not as accidental, nor will a word be considered an intruder if the statute can be construed reasonably without eliminating that word

In the Act of June 3, 1878, 20 Stat. 88, c. 150, permitting the use of timber on the public lands for "building, agricultural, mining and other domestic purposes," the word "domestic" is not to be construed as relating solely to household purposes omitting "other" altogether, but it applies to the locality to which the statute is directed, and gives permission to industries there practiced to use the public timber.

To enlarge or abridge a permission given by Congress to certain specified industries to use the public timber would not be regulation, but legislation, and under the provisions of the statute of June 3, 1878, 20 Stat. 88, the power given by the Secretary of the Interior to make regulations cannot deprive a domestic industry from using the timber.

The facts are stated in the opinion.

Page 196 U. S. 210