The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-08-01
CARTER HAS A
VERY BIC KICK
MAHUKA SITE HACKERS
OF BAD FAITH AND ALSO HITS
WASHINGTON OFFICIALS.


with the selection of the Federal
Building site, than to anything else
just at present. When he first ar
rived yesterday morning he stated that
he had prepared a statement of his
side of the matter, and late in the
afternoon this was forthcoming. In
it the Governor hastens to charge bad
faith on the part of representatives of
the Mahuka property and is very
evidently sore over the choice of the
location first approved by the Federal
representative, instead OF the Irwin
property, which he was backing at
Washington. The first paragraph OF
his statement is as follows:
I'm the matter of the Federal public
building site, consider that bad faith
has been shown to me, officially and
privately, by the representatives of the
Mahuka site owners"
Continuing the Governor says:
Originally, l was Indifferent as to
the location of the Federal building.
Busy with other matters, l paid no at
tention to the question, other than to
object to any plan which would involve
a large expenditure of public money.
But the representatives of the Mahuka
site people themselves suggested that
they were blocking progress and would
willingly step aside and leave the field
clear for other sites, if the administra-
ton would agree to open Bishop street
and give them one week in which to
deposit $17,500, or one-half the cost of
the property needed for this. They
were to undertake to secure the money
and the consent of all the property
owners. asked that their PROPOSE
ton be submitted to me in writing
and suggested that the time be ex-
tended to ten days from that date.
For several days received no COM
munication, then was told that they
were trying to see if they could make
good that which they had already as
sured me as being certain
81 was then given an agreement,
which 1 accepted, largely embodying
their voluntary proposition and stat
ing that on their failure to accomplish
certain results, the Mahul1a site would
be withdrawn and the matter left open
for the Treasury Departments second
choice.
Such was the situation when | left
Honolulu on May II. did not reach
Washington until June Z. Calling on
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
Winthrop late that day to pay my
personal respects, he informed me that
the Mahuka site people had just cabled
their withdrawal, and asked me to take
up the matter and decide it for them.
He sent a clerk for the telegram, and
its date showed that there had been
a considerable extension of the time
granted by me, but l presumed that
the Acting Governor had found good
reasons for extending the terms of the
agreement"
The Governor then says that he
was pressed by the Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury Winthrop and Secre-
tary Cortelyou to select a second site
for them, which he did with reluct-
ance. In recommending the adoption
of the Irwin site, the executive says he
voiced the popular sentiment of Homo
lulu people and 81 told Winthrop that
selfish interests alone prompted the
downtown site, for the distance was
trif1ing, and further explained that the
gore site was too small; that l would
prefer the Irwin site, provided the
Treasury Department would consent to
surrender to the Territory the neces-
sary frontage whenever in the future
it undertook the actual execution of
the Robinson plan for charging Palace
Square, and explained the contemplate
ed improvement"
The Federal Government, however,
refused to consider the proposition of
ever surrendering any part of property
=
once decided to it and thereupon the
Governor took the matter up per-
sonally with w. G.. Irwin, and after
some cabling succeeded in getting the
concession asked for from the owner
of the property.
In closing the Governor gives the
Federal officials a jab, charging them
also with bad faith and stating that
they cannot Square" themselves with
him in any possible way except by ac-
cepting the Irwin site. He says;
Winthrop made some compliment
tary remarks about my perseverance
and Mr.. Twins generosity, and stated
that this closed the matter up in fine
shape and that payment would be
made to Irwin as soon as the written
withdrawal Of the Mahuka site was
received. | then left Washington.
After all this, ! find that the offer
to withdraw the Mahuka site made
to me in good faith personally and
Officially by correspondence, has not