The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-01-03
That Matter of Special Counsel
for the Public Utilities
Commission
By BILL PRICE.

in the tremendously important public utility pending
in the local courts
100000 mpounded in electric light fund to be returned
to 10000 Of electricity the District of Columbia
the Public Utilities Commission wins from the Potomac
Electric Light Company
the P U has heretofore found be $ooooo water
in stocks claims ownership Of public streets
and other elements Of air and water.
They involve the question of whether the people Of this
city shall pay higher fares higher electric light rates.
higher gas rates.
There involved hundred other questions affecting the
future of Washngtonians with local public utilities
every them containing the vital principle of whether
local corporations shall impose their will upon the Washing
ton public and the Public Utilities Commission
BY piece of rckery which it will be wise for certain
Congressman duplicate this session of Congress there
eliminated from the District appropriation bill at the last
session item of $4,000 for the services of CONRAD
SYME special counsel to aid the regular counsel Of the
Commission in these The Senate put the item in the
District bill passed that body The House didn't do
and in conference the $4,000 only stricken but
there added provision that appropriation for the
maintenance of the Commission should be used pay special
counsel
So much legislative juggling the closing days the
last Congress that may be little understood by the general
public but well understood by those who know the schemes
Of wealthy corporations.
The Potomac Electric Light Company does CON
RAD SYME to remain in these valuation and other He
knows entirely much Of the inside history of public ut
ties manpulatons in past He knows detail He
paint the lights and shadows of it all particularly the
DARK SHADOWS He knows where the water is in local
utilities rather where it was until squeezed by
the P. u. G.
The Washington Railway and Electric Company the Capt.
tai Traction Company the Washington Gasght Company
the Potomac Electric Light and Power Company
Syme they get rid Of him their opposition will be
solely from the present regular counsel of the p u Co.
able who knows the law but doesn't all
Syme does.
This attorney whose salary this measey
$1,000 year, would in the future uphold the rights of
u c. and the Washington public in these immensely vital
in the courts but every time these there
will appear THE SAME COUNSEL for the corporation
best paid corporation lawyers in this city
You will that the local corporations who much
at stake swapping legal horses while these
in the They retain the who began with
them in the valuation and rate hearings and decisions They
know the weak spots in the u and the strong spots
in their Conrad Syme knows the WEAK SPOTS in
their and he knows how talk the
courts
We do not believe that the District Commissioners
also the members of the Public Utilities Commission
to let this matter stand the way it in Congress The Com
issioner political appointees except the Engineer Commits
sion who chairman of the p u c. may feel deicacy
about insisting that Congress do something that it would not
do at the last session.
We submit the Commissioners that this question is of
such profound consequence to all the people Of Washington
that is their bounden duty that full provision be
made for retaining special counsel and greater
$4,000 year. too Not only that but the Commissioners
should include in their deficiency item of 1000
for the payment OF Mr. Syme for his work during the present
fiscal year The Times and its colleague Herald sub
scbed 900 toward fund of $4,000 and this community
raised nearly $4,000 to match it,
In other American community would the people for one
minute stand for taking out of their pockets money to
protect their public interests There why they
should do What would the people of Chicago from which
city Congressman MADDEN, chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee and the people Minnesota the
State Of Congressman DAVIS of the District subcommittee
have to say these city councimen failed to
give the public good legal advice and protection the
corporations have?
The allied electric light and street railway interests
country may join with the local corporations in pulling
wires in Congress to get rid Of Syme In fact they will
but this is tissue important enough be carried back
to the Congressional districts of the gentlemen in Congress
who fail to remember that the people Of Washington
titled to fair and square consideration.
The services of special counsel badly needed in these
cases, whether Mr. Syme continues with them Furthermore
Congress should provide that the salary of the regular
q the Public Utilities Commission should be $4,000
annually and that he shall do other municipal legal work
but that devotng his whole time to public utility matters
until the questions pending in the courts disposed Of