Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-06-26
FLEHARTY REPLIES
TO CAPPER LETTER
Advises Senator He Intends
to Oppose Capital Traction
Plea for Fare Hike.

Replying to a letter from Senator
Capper, chairman of the Senate Dis
trict committee. which he said had been
interpreted by the newspapers as warn
ing or advice from you as to how
should fulfill the duties of my official
position" Ralph B. Fleharty. peoples
counsel before the Public Utilities Com
mission. today declared that he fully
understood the duties of his ONCE, but
that because of the lack Of fun CO.
operation between him and some Of the
civic organizations, he is forced to ex-
ercise TO some extent his own judgment
ana discretion as to the proper position
to take on matters coming before the
Utilities Commission.
He also advised Mr.. Capper that he
intended to oppose the pending appn-
cation Of the Capital Traction Co. for a
higher fare. and asked the Senate COM
nlittee for the cooperation of DR.. Milo
r. Maltbie. New York valuation expert.
who is coming here the latter part of
this week to make study OF the VAL
uation Of the transit properties to be
merged into the proposed consolidated
transportation company.
Text of Letter.
Mr.. Fleharty's reply follows:
Your letter of June Is, which has al
ready been given wide publicity in the
local papers and variously described by
them as warning or advice from you
as to how should fulfill the duties OF
my official position, was not received by
me until the afternoon of June %.
~ kt.ak hat q NJ tfailSy
Interpretation of the act of Congress
creating the Office Of peoples counsel
comedies with my conception OF the
duties of that position.
However. the divergent positions
taken most recently by the organized
civic associations of the District of Co
lumbia when the Public Utilities Com
mission and Congress had for conSidera-
ton the proposed merger or unification
agreement of the local transportation
companies only so to show that there
may exist a very wide difference OF
opinion as to what may be the 'puhlic's
interests which you state in your letter
should be considered by me not from
judicial standpoint but as an active ad-
vocate Of the public's interests
While there does not exist as full CO.
operation between this off1ce and some
OF Ile CIVIC OTSdNl1dlAOIlS rs SklulAU
like, believe that / am in a position
to ascertain and judge as well as any
one of the general trend of public senti-
ment toward issues raised by applica-
tions concerning the service furnished
by public utilities In any event, am In
a position where must of necessity. be-
cause OF the divergence of public opin-
ion before referred to. exercise to some
extent my own Judgment and discretion
as to the proper position to be taken In
such matters,
Let ME assure you that so far as the
pending application by the Capital
Traction Co for increase of fare Is con-
cerned ! conceive the puhlic's interests
to require that oppose same to the
best y my ability. Might l suggest that
II not beyond the scope OF his employ
ment, the cooperation Of Mr. Maltby,
recently employed by your committee 10
make an investigation and report on the
unification agreement OF the
local transportation companies. might
be of substantial assistance in my oppo-
sition to said application"