Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-07
FEES COUNT UP.
Clerk Mckinney Of the United
States Supreme Court,
Receives About $4,000 Year Sal
airy Through the Fee System.
Thomas p. Cleaves Valuable Man 10 the House
Personal Notes.

WI, w IClt ilc SuttcSSl ullS t)ltNStu tflt'
famous Grant claim before Congress.
Attorney Herbert NJ. Heath of Angus
ia. was admitted to practice before the
supreme court Of the United States,
Of which a former Augusta man. Mel
vile w. Fuller. is chief justice. The
ceremony is a very simple one, consist
ing only of Il motion by some lawyer
already entitled TO practice there that
the applicant be admitted. In Mr.
Heath'S case the motion was made by
Gen. Henderson of Iowa, a prominent
member Of Congress for many years.
The certificate is a proud trophy for
attorneys, for it entities them to prac-
tice before all the courts of the Union
in any state whatever
A moderate fee of so is charged by
the clerk of the supreme court from all
attorneys admitted and thereby hangs
an interesting tale. The salary Of the
clerk was fixed some years ago at $4,000
a year, the present encumbent being
James II. Mckenney, gentleman very
favorably known in the District of
Columbia There vas. however, a pc
culiar wording Of the law, which he
was able to construe in a manner that
warranted him in using, as a perquisite
of his office. all fees received from al
torneys when admitted to practise
This swelled his salary enormously so
that he is currently reported as r"ceiV-
ing. a total salary OF $4,000 q year.
When it is remembered that Chief Jus
tice Fuller receives a salary of $40, 800
a year and that the other justices Of
the highest tribunal in the United
q nnn -
be able to comprehend what good
thing Clerk Mckinney really has The
lawmakers. in the present session Of
Congress have been trying to under
mine Mr. McKenney's good thing by
requiring that these fees shall be
turned into the treasury OF the United
States. 4 provision has been inserted
in the legislative, executive and Judi
clal appropriation bill to that effect
and it will probably become law. So
while Mr.. Heath's ten dollar bill has
already been filed away for Mr.. Ne
Kenneys private bank account, the
money of the next Maine lawyer, Whe
seeks admission to practice before the
supreme court of the United States.
will probably be reckoned in with the
revenues of the great republic.
The supreme court room istnear the
Senate and was, in fact, formerly occu-
pied as the hall for the Senate Thai
was in the early days when the Sen
ate was not as large body as it is at
present. The judges sit facing the east
and the entrance to the court room At
a long bench, Chief Justice Fuller be-
ing at the center. On account Of his
position he is easily identified ny
strangers but he is also Il conspicuous
figure because of his long white hair
and short stature. in which respects ne
is quite distinct from his legal hr"th-
rem.
One of the busy men al the Senate
end Of the Capitol these days is Thorn
as T. Clcaves, formerly of Portland,
and a brother Of Ex-Governor CleaF"s
of Maine. He is the trusted clerk OF the
Senate appropriations committee ana
holds n unique position. Administra-
lions might come and go, the Senate
might be Republican or il might be
Democratic. but Mr. CleaveS would
still go on in his position. He has ned
il for many years, draWinS salary OF
$4,000 per annum. That is because he
has made himself Indispensable in his
place and because no other man can
he found from any party. who can
without long training, perform the
work satisfactorily. The same is true
on the House side, where the clerk IF
the House appropriations committee.
although Il Democrat originally, holds
his position undisturbed. Mr.. Cleaves
is master Of all the details of appro-
priationS, past and present, and serves,
with uniform courtesy Democratic ana
Republican senators. The services OF
such man are almost invaluable to
Congress for he is able often to save
the government embarrassment in tn"
appropriation of money. But few
senators or representatives keep post
ed on the details of appropriate OK
cept in a general way, and they must
have at hand in convenient form for
reference a vast deal of informa ton
which no one man could have, unless
he made that his special and only
study. Often on the floor of the HouS'
or Senate members attack provisions
of the appropriation bill or make
searching inquiries. In the Senate NJ
Cleaves always sits by the side of The
senator in charge of an appropriation
such emergencies. While the work i
on an average for only six months OF =
wear ii requires great deal OF careful
study and during the closing days OF 2
session. especially a short session. tbs
clerk is compelled to work day ans
night and must show almost super
human endurance. for appropriation
bills are rushed through with grea
Yapidity and some one must be able =
prevent egregious bunders.
Mr.. +. Walker Mckeen of FryeburS
Me. secretary of the Maine board .
Agriculture, made a flying visit her
this week
The monthly bulletin of the depart
ment of labor quotes at great len%ll
the decision in the case of Perkins "
pendleton ct al, the action haVint
brought originally in the Suprcm
judicial court of Waldo county, Nj
This bulletin contains each month de
sisions of courts affecting labor an
The Maine case is cited on that ac
! count 1t will he remembered that Nj
Webster c. Perkins sued Fremont Pen
dloton and others to recover DANA geS
Mr. Perkins had been in the employ .
the Mount Waldo Granite COmpan