The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-07-08
NEGLECT OF DUTY.

The most important Hawaiian meas
ure which has been before Congress at
this session is the item in the DeHclen-
CIV biII covering the fire claims. AT last
accounts it had passed the Senate ana
was about to appear in the MOUSE
where 1t must run the gauntlet Oh the
concentrations committee. II taere ever
was a time when Hawaii needed rep
resentative on duty it was when the
Defidency bill was passed down; out
at the tfrne, assuming that the Dill
went to the House according to pro-
gfam. the seat of the Delegate from
H,v.i, was vacant. He had gone
home to lobby far a nomination. leaV-
ing. &c far az is known, not Single
fact. OF. brief or verbal argument Whlch
could he used to sustain the fire claims
relief measure.
.vas not that Mr.. Wilcox lacked
jndustry, He was busy enough Up 10
the aour of his departure in trying 10
pef t,.e Trazaways bill through for the
man Who paid his milk bill. Nor did
he ,ani. for epistoiary zeal Among the
printed documents lately received from
washington 10 this remarkable docu-
.uent. which we reprint in its entirety:
HAWAII TFAMWAYS COMPANY
- '.lr-;t.. LIMITED.
statement of Hon. r. w. wilcox, Dele
81 gate from the Territory of HAWAII.
a bin to permit the Hawaiian 1raH-
ways Company, Limited, to use ana
maintain electric traction.
I am in favor of This bill, gentlemen
At. "a v lfa a.
are,s / believe. potent reasons why II
should pass.
This company has maintained ana
oDerated its present Street-rallWay line
in Honolulu during the past (apouD
thirteen years, and are now ASKING
Congress no greater grant than thaI
they may be permitted by converting
their florse-impeiled line into an cleo
tric traction to give their patrons the
more modern and convenient service.
IF they are denied the right to make
the improvements in their service con-
templated in. the provisions or TINS Dill,
1T viii not only diyest the company OF
an earning capacity but will compel
many residents of Honolulu and ITS
yfcinities living in sections traVerSed
by this line, to either endure inferior
accommodations or go to and from
their homes by circuitous and moon
yenient routes. Not only that, If they
be not perrnitted0to bring their service
up to the standard OF present ana
growing public requirement, they can.
not compete with the Rapid Transit
Conlpany-even with the disadvantage
to which the latter must place the tray-
cling public in the particular sections
covered by the line of the formcr-and
the result must speedily be to give this
recent enterprise1the Rapid Transit
Company-a monopoly and place the
travelling public Of Honolulu at It's
mercy. -
independent of the Rapid Transit
Company. and those directly anu pc
cunarily Interested in it, L know OF no
opposition to this bill. know or no
opposition that could be reasonably
urged against it. The franchise OF the
Hawaiian Trafnways Company has
some seventeen years yet to run. As
evidence of their bona fides they nave
the new cars and necessary parapher-
MALTA for at once carrying out the i'm
provements sought to be permitted by
this bill, and 1 trust that that which
should deem a great benefit to large
portion OF the citizens of Honolulu may
be granted by the passage OF TINS
measure
Plenty of time for private measure,
the Trarnways bill; no time for a mat
ter that meant q million dollars reim-
bursement for property lost in. the
greet fire. Yet Mr. wilcox continues
to draw mis- salary as Hawaiis repre-
sentative at Washington.