Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1920-06-18

The legal department or the state
is most important one. The Attor-
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. All the many
legal complications of the states af-
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 impor-
lance that the Attorney General be
a man we'll qualified to protect the
states interests. In Clifford l.. Hill
ton, the present Attorney General, the
state has such man.
Was Born In Minnesota.
Mr. Hilton was born at Kenyon,
Minnesota, December 8, 1855. 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, receiv-
ing the degree of Bachelor of Laws
in 1888. He was admitted to prac-
tice law Immediately after his gradu-
alton and has been actively engaged
therein ever since. In 1911 he was
admitted to practice before the Su-
preme Court of the United States.
General Hilton's 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
fVyn 1n oS4
of Fergus Falls. He was county at
torney of Otter Tail County for ten
years. In 1909 he was appointed
Assistant Attorney General.
Succeeded Lyndon A. Smith.
Upon the accession of the late
Lyndon A. Smith to the Office of At
torney General, Mr.. Hilton was ap-
pointed first assistant, and when the
office of Deputy Attorney General
was created, he was appointed to that
position. Upon the death of Gen
eral Smith, Mr.. Hilton was appointed
attorney general. He was nominated
for that Office in June, 1918, and at
til e November election received
8O,944 more votes than his nearest
opponent.
Showing the magnitude of the de-
partment's operations since January
1, 1917, it has collected for the state
the following amounts:
Timber claims. ......$ 131, 1913
Oil inspective fees. -. 91,927.59
Railroad claims ..... 100, 986.25
Miscellaneous ....... 52,738.93
Inheritance taxes, nom
residents ........ 438,951.83
Inheritance taxes, resi-
dent estates ....... 4,O45, 60. "a
Total 81, 1851 ,522.47
Since January 1, 1917, 28O civil
cases have been handled in the dis
trict court, of which SO have been
appealed to the supreme court. OF
the cases so handled, 1913 have been
brought to 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 SUI
preme Court. Fourteen cases have
been argued in the United States SUI
preme Court, eight of which were
decided in favor of the state and four
cases are now pending before that
tribunal. Eleven cases have been ar.
gued in the United States District
Court; seven before the department
of the Interior; two before the Inter
state Commerce Commission and two
before other departments.
The criminal cases in the State
Supreme Court have numbered one
hundred ten and in the district courts
forty-one The opinions rendered BY
the Attorney General and his assist
ants during this time number abou
10000.
Among the important cases argued
and won during this period in oul
Supreme Court are the two Minimum
Wage cases, in one of which the con
stitutionality of the state law Great
ing the commission was sustained
and in the other the validity of al
order of the commission fixing min
imum wage for women and minor
was upheld, and the Hobart Irol
Company case which determined tina
the state was entitled to royaltie
from state mines based on crude or
measurements.