The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-06
The High Cost of Attorneys
and Lobbyists for Our
Public Utilities
By.BTLL PRICE.

conoressman zIHLAAN Of the House District Ocmmttee,
I'D Ensineer Commissioners BELL, who is chairman q the
pS, ilit;es Commission do people Of Washington
raj service publicly calling attention 70 the large
lures Of District public utles he ths Maryland
vlobbyists the iaster Oeins sanpnas1e1 - -
mi; snaner has many times directed thought to the
ou sitnation which compeIs the public Of this city to
heavv expenses Of legal talent for utilities
to fight that very public which IS ony u 'ns O
~ Ean states that local utility corporations spend about
$4,000 year attorneys and Lobbyists 70 prosec. tne
inereas efoe the Public Utilities Commission the courts ana
oonrress This money Mr. zhlman correctly points ont Is
collected the very people OF washington against "nOm
There are doubts s to whether $4,000 ayear viii the
items mentioned In some years the sum no oOuDt eAOee
that by many thousands Of dollars.
We do not know how much Of the total yearly expense goes
to those dubbed obbysts That term not happy one
is sleeping his money is being used to pay utility
goody to attempt to influence Congressional eg
t. ross without saving that the local corporations will look
after then own in Congress- ana that they are en-
titled to do So Their Officers na enG Of and
give their views to pending Legislation TINS respect
missoners the Public Utilities Commison private citizens
The lobbyist however the pusyfOOted individual VINO
supposed to be working behind the scenes O sna s c sno
to influence national legislators to his way thinking
% nIs M, rshsd iO the pubHo H.
directly paying the salaries is not heard and must depend
fair and square and Senator's TO protect
them Fortunately District Committees composed OF
honorable able who have minds Of their and are
mighty well posted District utilities problems
There way by which utilities corporations obtaining
all from Of these utilities their
legal stats except from these but the interesting
thing for Congress to consider is:
WHY SHOULDN'T THE PUBLIC BE EQUALLY WELL
REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL? By attorneys, too who
MUST GIVE ALL THEIR TIME TO PUBLIC UTILITY
MATTERS?
Mr. Zhlman himself the author of bill providing for the
employment Of peoples attorney for the Public Utilities
Commission It should passes Congress also provide
that under certain contingencies additional peoples counsel
may be employed
The present counsel the Public Utilities Commission
paid year. eninetieh much the corporations
pay their experienced legal talent This counsel likewise
the Corporation Counsel Of the District government for which
his annual salary $4,000 year. His duties Corporation
Counsel keep him busy all times Admitting that he
able thoroughly equipped attorney is it possible
for him represent the o. and the public well the
corporation attorneys the other sde all keen
men, giving their whole time to the corporations?
This newspaper repeatedly urged Congress make appro
priaton for special attorney assist the p u g.
important valuation and rate pending in the and
coming before the p u c. at all times Com
mee Appropriations for unknown reasons to
do this
Therefore want the matter well paid people
submitted Congress for decision we believe the
House and Senate Committees the District will ultimately
members of the Public Utilities Commission we Of
fer the suggestion that the Commission its good work
of asceaining what attorneys lobbyists of local
utilities being paid and IT, in the opinion Of Commits
these expenses unreasonable saddng upon the people
CONTINUED in last coumns)
q