The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-10-14
49, 1f1E.@ AJ.IOHNEY.GEN ~
q s0ysreign state Not Always thl
Most Generous EmnIoyer.

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 valua BILE
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 o. Skill which he brings to
the dischargesof 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 professions
al services. s.. sf5 sat!.:i1i4s w. NJ 5
The attorney general Of New York
state receives $4,000 q year,and is about
the best paid. The salaries of some of
the. others are worthy of little more
than country lawyers with 4 limited
coteriess of clients. The attorney gen
eral of Kansas gets $2,500 a 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 $2,-
500, and the attorney general Of Michi-
gan, who has considerable to do, gets
only $1,000. Colorado pays her attorney
general II $4,000; g! Delaware, $4,000;
Georgia. $4,000, and Florida, $1,000.
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 attorneyS general Of
Maine:gets $2,oo0;;.ins Louisiana, So, 900;
in Alabama, $4,000, 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, ST.
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 SIC, 900, or So, 500
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, but 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, I'LL
nois and Mississippi among them, the at
torney general gets only fees. In Indi-
ana the salary of the attorney general
is 49, 500, but in Ohio, one of the wealth.
es states, and. one in which there is al
most constant official litigation, the sal
ary of the attorney general is $4,000.
It is an almost general rule through
out the country that attorney generals
get half as much as congressman,
though the service of the congressmenia
rendered during only a 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 C,
Bronson, Ogden Hoffman, Daniel 8.
Dickinson and Aaron BURN. Y. Sun