New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-30
FATTENING ON THE STATE.
BIG FEES DRAWN By POLITICIANS AS
SPECIAL COUNSEL"
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE WHOSE
NOSES HAVE BEEN IN THE CRIB-ABoL-
IsHrNG THE PRACTICE.

ISIING THE PRACIlCE.
Albany. Jan. 30 lSpecIaD.-Governor Roose-
welt in his last annual message to the Legs
Isture dwelt upon the necessity OF economy. lie
said:
Every effort should be made TO reduce the
expenses OF the state Government App'rop rare
tions should be itemized and not. save IN rare
cases made in lump sums. All needless oinces
should be abolished For instance. the AttoI
ney Generals office should do the WORK nov
done by the special counsel for the dinerent
hospitals for the insane. and these special couh-
sci should be abolished
The special counsel for the hospitals for the
insane referred TO by the Governor IN TWO
instances In the year 1898 were prominent mem
beers OF the Legislature Speaker OGrady being
one and Senator Malby. Of Ogdensburg. the
other. This practice Of appointing members OF
the Legislature to such posts Is especially o.
jectionable. inasmuch these men are COM
PEELED 10 act appropriations for the insutu-
lions A member OF the Legislature Is thus d.
yided between his duty to the taxpayers OF the
State and his feeling that the institution which
pays him a salary ought to have large appro-
priation.
II is easy TO the dangerous character OF
the innovation which was thus made when the
State Commission in Lunacy was authorized 10
make appointments OF special counsel Proper
" the work belonged to the office OF the Attor-
ney-General. Even when the counsel selected
were not members OF the Legislature they were
in most cases prominent politicians who had
strong pull in the Legislature, and therefore
could be made use OF by the institution whose
counsel they became to force the granting Of
large appropriations.
A WELCOME ANNOUNCEMENT.
The taxpayers OF the State will be glad to
know that the first step has been taken toward
the abolition Of the pernicous system so far as
the State hospitals for the insane are concerned.
Governor Roosevelts airing OF the matter seems
to have shamed some persons. The fact OF the
intention TO abolish the special counsel
made known by Jonathan =. Aids, chairman Of
the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means.
while the debate was in progress the Assem-
blv resolution for an investigation Of the con-
duct OF Surrogate Arnold's office n few days
ago Mr. Palmer twtted the Republicans with
a desire to find a place for some special coun-
sell" and referred to Governor Roosevet's at
tack on the practice Of hiring special counsel for
the State hospitals. In reply Mr.. Aids said
that the General Appropriation bill just intro
duced contained addition Of $4,000 to the
usual amount put at the Attorney Generals
command TO carry on the business OF his office,
and that this sum would he used in paying the
legal expenses Of the hospitals.
ANOTHER LEAKING PLACE
But while the special counsel scheme Is de-
stroyed so far the State hospitals are in
volved, what will be done with the counsel for
the State Forestry Board? Mr.. Aids.
Of these counsel in 1898. drew out Of the State
treasury for fees and expenses the sum OF
Sc 527 81 Why should not the AttorneyGen
eral manage the legal business Of the Forestry
Board detailing one of his deputies TO the work?
Two years ago the Forest Preserve Board got
81. 900 900 to spend in the purchase Of Adiron-
dack lands In 1898 the board asked for and re-
ceived 100000 additional. II IL not yet known
what amount Of money it will ask for this year
Mr. Aids as chairman OF the Assembly Com
mittee on Ways and Means, may not feel
tirely free when the Board comes before him
and seeks an additional appropriation.
Senator w w. Armstrong. OF Rochester. who
also served as counsel for the Forest Preserve
Board in 1898 and received for fees and ex-
penses the sum Of 50 635 may likewise he Ill at
ease when the Forest Preserve appropriation is
under consideration.
EXPENSIVE ADVICE.
The legal expenses OF the State outside of the
Attorney Generals office. where they should be
concentrated, have grown to IN enormous sum
There u.s. for instance. the Statutory Revision
Commission which expends s23,OW annually In
a sometimes vain attempt TO discover the In
tent OF the Legislature In passing acts. The
Commission does. indeed, revise the statutes.
but a large part OF its work Is to examine crit
ically the hundreds Of bills passed by the Legis-
lature and report upon them to the Governor.
one Of the Commissioners. Charles H. Lincoln,
as the Governors special legal adviser, receives
an additional salary of $1,000.
Special counsel employed by State depart
ments from time time. The Governor also
occasionally hires special counsel Edwin Coun-
tryman the counsel OF Governor Black in the
canal investigation cases put in a bill for 5000
for his work. and is said to feel aggrieved that
it was not paid at once. Neither the Governor
nor the Attorney General has sufficient funds
at his disposal to pay this bill
THE BENEFICIARIEs
The financial records OF the State show the
following bills Of special counsel in 1898:
Charles Il. Lincoln. special counsel FOR the
Statutory Revision Commission 5000 90
Henry L. WOODWARD, counsel 10 the Assem-
committees ............... 5000 %
to insurance Department s25 a.
Lester f. Stearns. Of chautauqua County.
Instruction 1900 90
Lester f. Stearns. counsel 10 Collins State
Hospital 1900 %
mission '....,' 1900 %
Board. ahd expenses ........ s527 81
Alfred Wdgstaff. counsel to Forest Preserve
Board, and expenses ..................... s765 80
Foresi Preserve Board and expenses .... 2.es5 90
w F. Rathbone counsel 10 Fish. Forest
and Game Commission ..........'..,.,,.,.. $50 %
F. l.. Bell. fees in cancellation cases under
Maiby law OF 1898 ........'... 800 90
George II. Malby. State Senator. fees in
celia. lion cases Malby law OF 1893 ......... 5000 10
George r. Malby. State Senator. counsel for
ST Lawrence State Hospital ................ 1TO 10
Malby law $500 %
Edwin Countryman bill for opinion in canal
stale Hospital. ...........,. 400 %
Iohp Il Pound BUFFALO State