The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-09
MEASURES Of
TERRITORY
SLOW
Hawaiians Take Up
Some important
Matters.
Delegate Kuhio win
Not Resign His
Office.
lMail Special to the Advertiser }

Mail opcClal 10 the <1ufti%AScI.}
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 28.-
Hawaiians here are becoming impatient
over delays in the passage of territorial
bills. The electric light and gas fran
chise bills are both now favorably re-
| ported to the Senate and House Every
thing is waiting for the action OF the
House. Efforts there to bring up the
electric bill have been blocked by objec-
! tions but these may be overcome at any
time. If the objections prevail for
while, the opportunity will improve aft
er the present week, when the House
will have practically completed its ap-
preparation bills for this session. With
the appropriation bills out of the way,
there will be time to consider other
matters.
Possibly before this letter is half way
across the continent the franchise bills
will be disposed of AS soon as the
House acts there viii probably be no
difficulty in getting the sanction of the
Senate Mr.. Foraker has already given
notice over there of his wish to bring
up those bills, but appropriation bills,
too, are occupying the most of the time
of the Senate just at present. Friday
last Mr. Robinson, of Ind, brought up
the electric bill and asked unanimous
consent for its consideration but MIR
Maddox, of Georgia, objected because it
was so late in the day. The following
day Mr.. Robinson brought the bill UP
again but objection was made by Mr.
Underwood, of Alabama, and Mr.. Payne,
of New York, the latter having been
one of those who made a bitter fight
against the bill when it was first pre-
sented in the House weeks ago. lie
by unanimous consent is
refused it may be possible to find some
other way, perhaps by special rule
or during some suspension day, which
occurs once month.
The prompt action of the Senate
Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto
Rico on the franchise bills was particu-
arly gratifying to those who are here
pressing them. That committee met
ast week, having Hon w O. Smith,
Mr.. William Haywood, Mr.. George B.
Mr. D. L. Wilmington, and
others present. There was a brief ex-
ylanation of the bills, following which
hey were ordered favorably reported.
The Senators OF the Committee prompt
y comprehended the measures before
hem. After some discussion it was
greed to adopt the two bills, substan-
ially as amended by the House Com
nittee on Territories, but the electric
i'll was changed so as to make the
maximum charge for service 20 cents,
instead OF II cents, as fixed by the
House Committee. The price of gas
gas fixed at Sa.5o, instead of $a.25, as
xed by the House Committee A
hange was also made in the provision,
flowing the courts TO determine at any
me what is reasonable price for
ither of those utilities so that the Ian
uage will be THAT power is hereby
upon the courts of appro-
riate general jurisdiction" the word
general having been inserted
Senator Blackburn. of Kentucky, was
sIegated to draw the report on the
ectric bill and Senator Foraker drew
le report on the gas bill. Both these
ports are substantially an embodiment
the House reports on the same bills.
Hon w. o. Smith, who has been here
w several weeks. is very anxious to
turn to Honolulu, and had hoped to
ave Washington today He has been
.layed by the failure of the House to
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