The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-04-17
RAILROADS IN KoNA AND KAU.

RAILROADS IN KONA AND KAJT.
In reply to Mr.. Coeper's interview of
yesterday in the Evening Bulletin
| feel called upon to state the true facts
of the matter.
| never claimed to own the whole of
Kona, and never claimed that | was the
King of Hawaii; il seems to me that
Mr.. Cooper is enraged, because 1 with
others asked the Legislature to give us
a franchise to lay railroad in Kona
and kau for which any citizen has the
right under the laws to apply. No ex-
elusive franchise is asked for.
Mr.. Cooper claims that my property
is "a large piece of rock in South Kona
etc" Mr.. Cooper may call by property
at Kona any MAMIE he pleases; but the
fact remains that Mr.. Cooper tried to
get my consent some time ago, and
came to my office, and actually asked
me to allow him to divide part of my
property SO he could import some farm
ers. If my property is really as he
claims, only large piece of rock, why
did he want to divide it in lots and sell
it to small farmers?
/ had confidence i'm the property and
paid 100000 for it and have spent about
$2O,OOO more TO improve ii, inside OF two
years. ] believe the public know bet
ter than to be convinced of what Mr.
Cooper is trying to make them believe
After he stated how much of the
kOna Sugar Co.. Castle and myself own
or control in Kona, he says There
must be niger in the fence some
where"
| can't see where the "nigger" idea
comes in here, when he stated that we
own or control about 5000 acres of cane
land, he explains out position. The mig
ger in the fence must be on Mr. Coe-
per's side.
Mr. Cooper may run my property
down any way he likes, but he won't
scare me a bit | knew what | bought
and If he expects to get it cheap. he Is
greatly mistaken.
| do not know where this 81 900, 600
of Mr.. Cooper may be. He may have it
in his pocket, or it may run away from
him( as the bird is not in his hand yet.
MY idea as a citizen and as a Senator
is this, that it is my duty to encourage
the local capital first.
Mr.. Cooper and his hackers may call
our request for a franchise private
affair. but the two bills which are in
troduced in the Senate show that Mr.
Coeper's franchise is an attempt at
of railroad interests, to the |
injury of the people of Kona-Kau.
While our bill calls for nothing more
than a right to lay a railroad without
an exclusive right. Which is the priv
ate affair?
Mr.. Cooper l believe has dreams of |
being the Huntington of Hawaii, but |
may say that day is far distant.
| must say our railroad is also a |
bona fide enterprise in every particu-
ar; and we also intend to do all in |
our power for the best interests of all |
the people in Kona and Kau.
We want a franchise, and intend to
pay to any person whose land may be
taken, fair, proper, and reasonable
price as more fully appears in our bill
before the Senate.
OF course it is Mr. Coeper's duty to
say that his railroad is for the benefit
Of the public, etc, but / fail to see it
in his bill. All | see in it is for the |
benefit of Mr.. Cooper. In case he gets
the franchise, the big niger in the 7
fence" will control Kona and Kau; and /
Mr. Cooper will be the manager.
We are willing that franchise may
be issued to Mr.. Cooper as we'll as to
us; in a fair way, not in the way as APP
pears in his bill asking for an eXclu-
SiVe franchise. For myself, it is inn
material to me who gets the franchise,
but all | personally want is railroad
be laid in Kona and Kau; whether Mr..
Cooper does ii or Mr.. McChesney
Armitage and Achi do it; it
is all the same to me; and / believe
this is the opinion of the majority of
'iiN pN'BiN ~ iNpiit anu MAUI Jul NIdl
we want a railroad be laid as soon as
possible.
The Evening Bulletin" or Mr.. Coep-
er may call our request private affair;
but his bill shows that his is the priv
ate affair; our bill asking for no eX-
elusive franchise is for the good of the
public.
| and many others do not believe
that Mr. Cooper really has the backing
he claims he has; therefore, we believe
that to get a railroad for Kona, it will
be necessary for us to go ahead: and
if Mr. Cooper has the backing of 81, 000-
OO0 he has nothing to be afraid Of
w. G. ACHI.
ADIil II 1901