The Washington times., 1918-01-14

holders, the majority OF stock being
owned by the Washington Railway
and Electric Company, the nice little
sum of IL per cent.
James ]. Darlington, Charles A.
Douglas, ard John S. Barbour, three
OF the ablest lawyers of the District
bar, represent the company, while the
Utilities Commission and the public
are represented by Conrad Syme, cor.
poration counsel, whose official salary
for one year is about what one of his
legal opponents makes in a month.
Yet this keen, aggressive spokesman
for public interests is holding his own
surprisingly, agreeably well.
What the Company Claims.
The company insists that its prop
erty has increased millions OF dollars
in value in two years because labor
and materials have advanced in cost
by reason of the war. 1t claims that
II is entitled to every dollar II would
theoretically cost to reproduce be
tween 1915 and 1921, including hun
dreds OF thousands OF dollars for pro-
moters.
The little list OF claims includes
about 81 900, 900 for the cost of secur-
ln6 TIE buElhCbS II lON 0OCu-BOllC-
itors, Advertisements, propaganda,
ETC.; about 32y5o0,000 for the privilege
the public gave It to use the streets
OF the Federal Capital, q pretty fair
little price for what actually belongs
to the people: and, most interesting
of all. about $4,000. 900 increase in
value after the old United States
Electric Lighting Company had been
converted into the Potomac Electric
Light Company, what Lawyer Syme
terms transferring over night from
one pocket to another" just like a
man finding an increase in his wad
when he has shifted It from one side
Of his trousers to another.
Claim at Great Falls.
Then, there Is another item OF
81 ,O00, 900 for what IL called a water
site at Great Falls, into which there
has never been stuck n spade in the
sixteen years since this site was
bought. According to Syme, this
water site was bought by the Great
Falls Water Power Company at the
time when the people were trying to
get Congress to harness this great
power for providing electric power
and heat for the Government and
private use, just merely forestalling
dlAN dNNSAAbN NHS wv
make.
OF course. IL the Government ever
dared to want to use this power, II
would probably meet with strenuous
opposition for invading the rights Of
private ownership. The railway COM
pany bought the Great Falls company
out, paying, II is said. S425. 900. This
company. in turn. sold il to the Poto-
mac Electric Light Company for ST.
200, although the title has not yet
been perfected.
These claims are the sacred rights
of property, and an awful crimp would
be put in the Constitution and vested
rights II not allowed.
Fighting for Three Years.
And Conrad II. Syme has been
lighting all these claims for about
three years, really reveling in the fun
he is having at the expense Of the
best paid lawyers OF the District, san
guine that he 10 going to win his fight
He admits that the company has a
right TO a fair return on every dollar
that has been squarely and prudenIly
invested in the property. On this in
vestment he is willing that the own
crs shall receive Z per cent. or S77O,-
coo a year. OH a valuation of sll ,0O0.-
600. On a 81. 100000 basis the divi-
dends at Z per cent, now generally
recognized by the courts as fair,
would amount TO Si,s10,O00.
Position syme Takes.
Syme takes the position that the
contest is one between backward
looking ard forward looking: between
greedy special privilege. seeking 10
fattcn uu rights secured from the
public without cost, and an enIight- !
ened understanding Of the duties of
q public service corporation to the
public, # which it is merely a ser
want
Syme. having made profound |
study OF public utility and interstate |
laws. believes that a spirit |
Of justice breathes in every law fit |
10 enforce. and that all true social, |
ethical and property relations are |
by principles as answering |
as the laws OF mathematics. When |
and applied they will
solve every problem justly and hon
sstly.
lie hts hard, too. with a smile on
ais lips. takes his punishment and |
'omes back with solar pleNus. He's
got a big Job on his hands now.