paign literature, public meetings, etc. It is a strange anomaly that under our form of government it should have come to be considered not only proper but necessary to expend money for the purpose of inducing voters to come to the polls, or to secure their favor by personal appeals; especially when the money is spent and the appeals are made by paid agents and servants. It is not democratic. If both candidates were forbidden to make such expenditures, neither could properly complain. I commend the subject to the consideration of the Legislature. THE LOBBY LAW. I have examined into the circumstances of all the failures to comply with chapter 456 of the Acts of 1890, as amended by chapter 223 of the Acts of 1891, referred to me by the secretary of the Commonwealth, and in every instance except one I find that such failures were caused by accident or inadvertence, and not through any purpose to violate the law. The circumstances attending the exceptional case were such as led me to think that there might have been an intent to disregard the law. I therefore referred the case, with the papers relating thereto, and such additional information as came to my knowledge, to the district attorney for the county of Suffolk, that the matter might be laid before the grand jury. In several cases persons have registered as being employed; and, no return having been made, inquiry has resulted in a denial by the alleged employers that they employed such persons, either directly or indirectly. The persons registering claim, however, that they were so employed, and rendered services; and in some instances threaten to bring suit to recover compensation for such services. It appears that some additional legislation is needed to prevent registration by unauthorized agents or counsel. THE PUBLIC STATUTES. In 1888, by chapter 383, provision was made for the printing of a supplement to the Public Statutes. In accordance with this statute, a supplement was prepared containing the general laws enacted during the years 1882 to 1888 inclusive, with a suitable index and marginal references to the statutes affected by such general laws and to the decisions of the supreme judicial court relating to them. No such work has been done or attempted since that time, and the general laws for the years from 1889 to 1894 inclusive are only to be obtained from the Blue Books. There should be a second supplement, in form and with an index and marginal references substantially similar to the supplement already published. Such a work is much needed by those who have occasion to consult the statutes frequently, and I recommend that provision be made at once for its publication. The first general revision of the statutes of the Commonwealth was in 1836, when the Revised Statutes were published; the next was the General Statutes, published in 1860; the last was the Public Statutes, published in 1882. The interval since the adoption of the Public Statutes is not so long as that between the former revisions. The changes in legisla tion, however, have been far more numerous and radical, and there is much greater need for another revision of the Statutes to-day than existed at the time of the adoption of any of the former revisions. Upon examination, I find that, of the two hundred and twenty-four chapters of the Public Statutes, only thirty-seven have not been repealed or amended. Many of those that have been left untouched are chapters upon subjects of little public importance, such as, for example, the chapters on watch and ward; teachers' institutes; ferries; measuring of upper leather; the metric system; masters, apprentices, and servants; and the chapter on treason. On the other hand, the amendments adopted since 1882 affect very largely many of the most important and vital portions of the statutes. Among others, the chapters upon the following subjects have been entirely revised or repealed, so that in respect to them the Public Statutes have become obsolete: elections and ballots; the militia; attendance of children at schools; school districts; employment of children; inspection of provisions and animals; the employment of labor; birds and game; savings banks; insurance companies. Among the chapters which have been radically amended are those relating to the assessment of taxes; town officers; cities; gas and electric light; public health; fisheries; intoxicating liquors; railroad corporations; the courts, including courts of probate and insolvency; offences against property and offences against chastity. Some of the foregoing have been affected by more than fifty amendments. Nor have the statutes passed since the adoption of the Public Statutes fared any better. During the years 1882 to 1888, eleven hundred and ninety-five chapters of general legislation were enacted; of those, seven hundred and twenty-two have been affected by subsequent legislation, and three hundred and fortyfour have been repealed entirely; in other words, more than half of the legislation of the first seven years has been amended, and one-third of it has been repealed entirely. Such examination as I have been able to give the matter satisfies me that the changes in the statutes are much greater, more extensive, and more radical than had been made in prior revisions at the time of the adoption of the General Statutes and of the Public Statutes. It is not practicable to prepare a general revision of the statutes in less than two or three years; but I recommend that legislation be had at once, looking to another revision of the statutes, and that a suitable commission be appointed, charged with the duty of making such revision. PUBLIC OFFICERS ENTITLED TO CONSULT THE ATTORNEYGENERAL. Under the provisions of the Public Statutes and of sundry amendments thereto, it is the duty of the Attorney-General to consult and advise with the following departments on questions of law relating to their official business, to wit: — There are, however, other boards, commissioners and departments who have not the right to consult and advise with the Attorney-General; among others are the follow There appears to be no good reason for the distinction thus made between such departments as have and those which have not the right to consult the Attorney-General. I recommend that the law be so amended that all departments of the State, and all State boards or commissioners having jurisdiction throughout the Commonwealth, have the right of consulting and advising with this department. OPINIONS. In accordance with the practice adopted by my predecessors, I append to this report copies of such opinions given during the year as may be useful for future reference. Included among them are three opinions given upon applications for leave to file informations in the name of the Attorney-General, where I refused to authorize the proceeding. ASSISTANTS. Mr. George C. Travis has continued during the year in the position of First Assistant Attorney-General, to which office he was originally appointed in March, 1891. Mr. Charles N. Harris retired from the position of Second Assistant AttorneyGeneral on the first day of February, and Mr. James Mott Hallowell of Medford was on the same day appointed in his place, and has since continued in the position. Messrs. Travis and Hallowell have performed the duties of their respective positions with fidelity and efficiency; and I am much indebted to them for their valuable assistance. The work of the department is increasing year by year, not only in amount, but also in importance. The civil business of the Commonwealth, to which the assistants are called upon to give attention, requires, by reason of its extent, variety and character, a high degree of legal ability, and is practically exclusive of private law practice. It is my opinion that their salaries are not adequate to the importance and value of their services, and I recommend that they be substantially increased. HOSEA M. KNOWLTON, |