The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-19
Special Public Counsel in Public
Utilities Cases in the Courts
By BILL PRICE.

by BILL FR1CE.
President COOLIDGE and General LORD director of the
budget prompt approval to supplemental estimate
submitted by the District Commissioners for the employment
of special counsel by the Public Utilities Commission to assist
In the protection Of the rights Of the public in important
public utilities pending in the District courts.
These estimates which will payment Of special coun
sci for part Of the present fiscal year. Of next
have been submitted to the Appropriations Committee Of the
House by the COMMISSIONER who have explained their i'm
porance to members Of this committee headed by Chairman
MADDEN.
Thus has the fight Of The Times and its colleague The
Herald been up this time The estimates for special
counsel should have been in the regular estimates Of the
Commissioners There ought not to be any doubt that the
House Appropriations Committee viii approve the estimates
for these particular items There be no excuse at this
session Of Congress for their elimination Members Of the
Appropriations Committee and Of the House generally now
understand fully that failure to provide the public Of Wash
gon with legal fighters Of ability will be playing into the
hands Of the public utilities Of this city in most
manner.
Just one Of these utilities pending in the courts In
wolves sum Of at least $50O0OO which growing every
MONTH and that sum- in the belief of tn Public Utilities Com
mission belongs to the Of electricity in this city
not to the Potomac Electric Light Company
The other fully important They pertain to
the valuation OF street railway and gas properties in Wash
ngton The p u has found certain valuations having
the people Of the District paying high street car
fares gas and electric light rates. Unless the valuations
and in the those valuations are increased the
people here must additional charges that the utility COM
panies have reasonable returns valuation final
" fixed
remarkable tribute the alert understanding and pro
verbal fairness Of President COOLIDGE that when these
items submitted to him quickly approved them he
cause he realizes that it is curious say the least that Con
ess should have denied special for the people
but offered no objections to public utilities having as many
able lawyers they want these lawyers being indirecv
paid by the public which has without sufficient
legal protection Of its profound interests in these questions
The residents attitude will be appreciated in this citv
NO matter what be his views public utilities valua
tons street and electric light rates he does know
should be represented by counsel Of the p o. c. at
$1,000 year. while the utility corporations have legal stats
that cost them many thousands q year
Our Public Utilities Commission as important In wah
gon the Interstate Commerce Commission is to the nation
There Will always be before the p u O. questions Of valua
TONS fares rates. etc., involving only the right of the
utilities corporations to fair return upon HONEST
Investment but the right Of riders users Of utilities
products to pay than will give squarely invested
money fair return.
Therefore Congress should lose no time in passing the
AHLNAN bill other having object the creation
Of peoples counsel to handle all arising before the
O. This counsel should be paid salary that will Justify
MIN In giving virtually his whole time these matters and
too that he represents THE PUBLIC and the
commission ~
There not be much argument point that if stock
holders and bondholdrs in local utilities perfectly justified
IN paying large fees to specially selected attorneys the public
entitled to just good representation Of interests The
counsel Tor the utilities corporations paid from as
sesed against the public Therefore is right that the pub
NC De gwen Just little bit Of consideration.
PRESIDENT Coolidge and General Lord saw the matter az
1t has been given to Washington by Hearst
we take for granted that members the House Appropr
lions Will not be blind to the facts.