The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-10-13
THE ATTORNEY-GENEaALS
Sovereign State Not Always the
Most Generous Employer


Most Generous Employer.
In nearly every one of the sovereign
states of the union there is an attorney
general, whose functions are TO act for
the commonwealth in legal matters,
furnishing his more or less valuable
advice, giving opinions to executive
officials on disputed points, and inter
preting laws. The pay of the attorney
general does not appear to be based ON
the amount of skill which he brings to
the discharge of his official duties, on
the knowledge of the law which he pro-
fesses, or on the benefits which accrue
to the state by reason Of his profession
al services.
The attorney general of New York
state receives $4,000 year,and is about
the best paid. The salaries of some OF
the others are worthy of little more
than country lawyers with limited
lotteries of clients. The attorney gem
eral of Kansas gets $4,000 year. The
attorney general in Minnesota gets 3d.
500, and in Nebraska $4,000. The at
torney general of New Hampshire, who
has comparatively little to do, gets ST.
500, and the attorney general of Michi-
gan, who has considerable to do, gets
only $1,000. Colorado pays her attorney
general $4,000; Delaware, $2,000s
Georgia, $4,000, and Florida, $1,000.
The attorney general of Iowa gets sort
of contingent fee on sliding scale. He
receives a salary of 81 500 and SIS day
for each day that he is, or ought to be,
in court. The attorney general OF
Maine gets $4,000; in Louisiana, $3,000s
in Alabama, $4,000, and in California,
So, 900. The attorney general of Ken
lucky receives $500 and fees. The
| amount of these fees varies.
The attorney general in Missouri re-
ceives $4,000; in Norh Dakota, $2,oo0;
in Ohio, $4,000; in Suoth Carolina, 3d.
100, and in Rhode Island, $4,000. West
Virginia is to elect an attorney general
this year and when elected he will serve
for four years and get $4,000, or $4,000
year. The attorney general of Wis
consin gets $4,000, but the attorney
general of Utah, the newest of the states
and the one in which some of the most
serious problems of legislation are to be-
considered, gets only $500. The at
| torney general of South Dakoa, like
wise new state, gets $1,000, bat Texas
is liberal with her official lawyer and
pays him $4,000 The attorney general
in Washington state gets $4,000, and in
Montana, $4,000. In some states, Hi
nois and Mississippi among them the at
| torney general gets only fees. In Indi-
ana the salary of the attorney general
| is So, 500, but in Ohio, one of the wealth.
es states, and one in which there is al
most constant official litigation. the sal
airy of the attorney general is $4,000
1t is an almost general rule through
out the country that attorney generals
| get half as much as congressman
though the service of the congressmenis
rendered during only portion of each
year, whereas the attorney general
serves all the year, On the other hand.
an attorney general who is alert and
successful gains opportunities of subs
sequent professional Announcements
which are not to be moderated. Among
the attorney generals of New York state
have been Martin Van Buren,, Greene C.
Bronson, Ogden Hoffman, Daniel 8!
Dickinson and Aaron BURN. Y. Sun.