San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-28
THE ATToRNEY-eENERALs
A 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 $1,000 a 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 gen.
eral of Kansas gets $4,000 a year. The
attorney general in Minnesota gets $3,-
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 $1,000; Delaware, $4,000;
Georgia, $4,000, and Florida, $1,000.
The attorney general of Iowa gets sort
of contingent fee on sliding scale. He
receives salary of $1,000 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, $4,000;
in Alabama, s., 800, and in California,
$4,000. 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, $4,000;
in Ohio, $4,000; in Suoth Carolina, S2,-
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
a year. The attorney general of Wis
consin gets $4,000, 6ut the attorney
general of Utah, the newest of the states
anu UuG OuG III WHICH, SOllC VI AhOoN
serious problems of legislation are to be
considered, gets only $1,000. The at
torney general of South Dakoa, like
wise a new state, gets $1,000, but Texas
is liberal with her official lawyer and
pays him $4,000. The attorney general
in Washington state gets $4,000, and in
$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 50, 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 sub
sequent professional advancement
which are not to be moderated. Among
the attorney generals of New York state
have been Martin Van Buren,, Greene G.
Bronson, Ogden Hoffman, Daniel S.
Dickinson and Aaron BURN. Y. Sun.