The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-12-22
WEDNESDAY,. DECEMBER %, 1897
THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL.
A Sovereign State Not Always the Most
Generous Employer.

"A - Noh
Generous Employer.
In nearly every one of the sover-
eign states of the Union there is IN
attorney general whose functions
are to act for the commonwealth in
legal matters, furnishing his more
or less valuable advice, giving opin-
ions to executive officials on disputed
points and interpreting laws. The
pay OF the attorney general does not
appear to be based on the amount of
skill which he brings to the dis
charge of his official duties, on the
knowledge of the law which he pro-
fesses or on the benefits which ac-
rue to the state by reason of his
professional services.
The attorney general of New York
state receives s., 900 a year and is
about the best paid. The salaries of
some of the other are worthy of lit
tie than country lawyers with
limited coterics of clients. The at
torney general Of Kansas gets 81, 500
a year. The attorney general in
Minnesota gets So. SEQ and in Ne
braska 81, 900. The attorney general
of New Hampshire, who has COM
paratively little to do. gets 81. 500,
and the attorney general of Mfchi-
gan, who has considerable to do,
gets only 81. 600. Colorado pays her
attorney general 3 1000; Delaware,
81, 600; Georgia, 81, 600, and Florida,
81, 500. The attorney general of Iowa
gets a sort of contingent fee on a
sliding scale. He receives a salary
of 81, 500 and IS a day for each day
that he is or ought to be in court.
The attorney general in Maine gets
So, 600; in Louisiana, $4,000; in Ala
bama, ~, 500. and in California, 49,,
900. The attorney general of Ken
lucky receives $500 and fees. The
amount of these fees varies.
The attorney general in Missouri
receives So, 900; North Dakota,
81. coo; South Carolina, s2, 100: Rhode
Island, 81, SOC. West Virginia is to
elect an attorney general this year,
and, when elected, he will serve for
four years and get $40. 000, or 81, 500
a year. The attorney general of
Wisconsin gets 50. 0OO, but the attor-
ney general of Utah. the newest OF
the states and the one in which some
OF the most serious problems Ut leg
islation are TO be considered. gets
only 81. SEQ. The attorney general
of South Dakota, likewise u e
state, gets 81, 600. but Texas il lib
eral with her official lawyer and
pays him : 1000. The attorney gen
eral in Washington state gets $2. 900
and in M,gitana 90, 0C0. In some
states, Illinois and Mississippi among
them. the attorney general gets only
fees. In Indiana the salary of the
attorney general is ~, COO, but in
Ohio. one of the wealthiest states
and one in which there il almost
constant official litigation. the salary
of the attorney general III $2, 600.
1t il an almost general rule
throughout the country that attor-
neys general get halt as much as
congressman. though the service of
the congressman il rendered during
only a portion of each year. where
as the attorney general serves all
the year. On the other hand, an at
torney general who is alert and sue
cessful gains opportunities Of subse-
quent Professional advancement
which are not to be moderated.
Among the attorneys general of
New York state have been Martin
Van Buren,, Greene {. Bronson, Og.
den Hoffman, Daniel S. Dickinson
and Aaron Burr. New York Sun.