The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-01-22
CONGRESS MAY CONTROL
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priving the territory of Home Rule.
Chairman Hamilton. of the House ter
ritory committee, and Representative
Robinson, Democrat but chairman of
the subcommittee in charge of the
electric bill, both expressed to me the
view that that is what the situation
may develop. They say that the amend
ments, which must be added to the
franchise bill before it can become law,
are virtual assumption of legislation
for the islands, which the territorial
legislature ought itself to have attend
ed to- 1t is believed that this view will
eventually be moderated but the con-
ditions just now can not be overlooked.
The bill was brought into the House
last Wednesday under bad auspices.
Ex-Gov. Powers, of Maine, one of the
strongest men on the territories COM
mittee, had told his associates that the
measure ought to be more carefully
considered and safeguarded. He was
very busly engaged on another COM
mittee, hearing arguments in con-
tested elections case, and while giving
Hawaiian matters usually very close
attention himself, had, not done so in
the case of the electric bill. He was
much surprised to see the bill called up
before the House without some modi-
fications. Then Representative Lilley,
of Conn, a member of the territories
committee and a new member of >the
House, thought some of these mpdifi-
cations should be made. He could have
accomplished this without an open
fight on the floor, had he been little
better informed about the ways of do
ing business in Congress. But not find
ing certain members of the committee
willing to yield quickly to his suSges-
tons he fastened to Representative
Payne, of New York, the floor leader,
and others, quick to take up the gage
of battle. With such men opposed
there was no chance of the bill pass
ing the House and they forced it back
to the Committee for further consider
alton.
The debate on the bill was largely of
an explanatory character. After the
bill had been read and all the reports
and correspondence affecting it, Mr..
Payne began to ask Mr.. Robinson ques-
lions about the term for which the
charter was to run. why did the
Committee on Territories recommend
this period of thirty-five years for this
franchise, which seems to be an ex-
elusive franchise practically?' said Mr..
Payne who then observed that there
was nothing in the report, ON the bill
to contradict. a statement made in a
report of the Legislature that the citi-
zens of Honolulu are opposed to any
thing beyond a'ten years franchise.
Mr.. Robinson assured Mr.. Payne that
that statement was contradicted in the
context of the report, preceding and
following the passages to which Mr..
Payne referred.
Mr.. Payne expressed surprise at such
a statement from Mr.. Robinson who
said that that passage was probably
put in the report to placate some mem
Der of the Hawaiian Legislative COM
mittee as he signed the report for the
passage of the bill.
And not because II was the right
thing to do" observed Mr.. Payne In
reply.
1.-THE Delegate of the Hawaiian Is
lands is here introducing this bill,
said Mr.. Payne. asking to have Con-
gress approve this act. 1t may be
that the citizens of Honolulu do not
know that 1t is necessary to have the
act approved"
Il am sorry" replied Mr.. Robinson,
that the gentleman from Hawaii is
not here to defend this bill, but we
must do the best we can in his absence.
and we viii try to give the gentlemen
of the House all the light we can"
At this there was howl OF laughter
on both sides Of the House, the MEM
bers having read in the local papers
how the Delegate had insisted on pass