Morris tribune., 1920-10-15

The legal department of the state
is most important one. The AttoT-
ney General, in addition to being the
chief law officer of the state is a
member of numerous boards and has
duties involving the exercise of I'M
usual skill and ability. ALI the many
legal complications of the states az
fairs are referred to him. Each de-
partment demands a portion Of his
time. Through his activities millions
of dollars that would be otherwise
lost are annually turned into the
treasury. 1t is of the utmost import
ance that the Attorney General be a
man well qualified to protect the
states interests. In Clifford L. Hill
ton, the present Attorney General, the
state has such man. .e
Was Born in Minnesota.
Mr.. Hilton was born at Kenyon,
Minnesota, December 8, 1866 When
13 years of age he moved to Fergus
Falls, Mimi, where he still retains
his residence. He attended the COM
mon schools of Minnesota and gradu.
ated from the Fergus Falls High
School in 1884. He then entered the
University of Wisconsin, receiving the
degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1888.
He was admitted to practice law i'm
mediately after his graduation and has
been actively engaged therein ever
since. In 1911 he was admitted to
practice before the Supreme Court of
the United States.
General Hilton'sf life is a record of
faithful and efficient service, all Of
fees held by him being in the line
of his chosen profession of law. For
two years he served as city attorney
of Fergus Falls. He was county at
torney of Otter Tail County for ten
years. In 1909 he was appointed AS
sistant Attorney General
Succeeded Lyndon A. Smith.
I Upon the accession of the late Lyn-
don A. Smith to the office of Attorney
General, Mr.. Hilton was appointed first
assistant, and when the office Of Dep
uty Attorney General was created, he
was appointed to that position Upon
the death of General Smith, Mr.. Hilton
was appointed attorney general. He
was nominated republican candidate
and elected to that office in 1918.
Showing the magnitude of the de-
partment's operations since January 1,
1917 and up to May 1, 1920, it~has col
lected for the state total of $4,861,-
52247.
Since January 1, 1917, $50 civil cases
have been handled in the district
court, of which Sc have been appealed
to the. supreme court. OF the cases
N a InH a.
a final determination. Seventy-nine
civil cases have been argued or are
now pending in the state supreme
court, of which have been carried to
the United States Supreme Court.
Fourteen cases have been argued in
the United States Supreme Court.
eight of which were decided in favor
of the state and four cases are now
pending before that tribunal. Eleven
cases have been argued in the United
States District Court; seven before the
Department of the, Interior; two before
the Interstate Commerce Commission =
and two before other departments.
10000 Opinions Rendered.
The criminal cases in the State Su.
preme Court have numbered one hun.
dred ten and In the district courts for
ty-one. The opinions rendered by the
Attorney General and his assistants
during this time number about 10000.
Among the important cases argued
and won during this period in our Su.
preme Court are the Hobart Iron Com.
pany case, which determined that the
state was entitled to royalties from
state mines based on crude ore meas
urements, and the Soldiers Bonus Law
case, in which an act of the legislature
granting a bonus to soldiers and sail
ors was sustained against constitution.
al objections.
In Clifford L. Hilton the people Of
Minnesota have dependable and eff.
Gent public servant. Because Of his
familiarity with important cases now
pending and the many legal problems
of the state, If for no other reason, he
should be elected for a second term.
He deserves it and the best interesta
Of Minnesota require 1t.