The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-28
Resolution Proposed.
H. e. Cooper Explains.
Never Occurred to Them.


the questions which followed the state
ment.
Never Occurred to Them.
''The question in this matter which
seems to irritate is the secrecy with
which this matter was conducted,
| said Mr.. Smith. "Don t you think ii
would have been better when this was
being arranged to have consulted the
citizens here, Mr.. Cooper?'
| 81 don t think that that ever oc-
Cured to anyone answer Mr.. Cooper.
"The Secretary stated that it was a
question that the Department would
| have to decide He had all the cor
respondence in the matter and the
various actions taken by the citizens.
The policy of the Department now is to
put all public buildings together, not
intersperse them among the residences
or business blocks. This seems to be
the policy that Secretary Winthrop is
working on. He has been in Honolulu
and knew the position and Secretary
Garfield has been here recently, as you
know. Mr. Garfield said that as the
result of his own personal observation
there was no question in his mind as
to the ACCESSIBILITY of the exchange. )"
Various points were covered by ques-
tions and answers in regard to the
building of the Bishop street extension
and the legality of the proposed ex-
change.
"Were any expressions of opinion
asked from Honolulu" asked F. L.
Waldron.
Secretary Winthrop had all the ex-
pressions of opinion before him." an
swered Mr.. Cooper.
FAnd the opinions were all ig-
nored.''
81 don't know about the opinions
being ignored said Mr.. Cooper, show
ing a little heat.
"Do you think that if no advances
had been made by Mr.. Irwin that any
such transfer would have been made?"
continued Mr.. Waldron.
81 don't know was Mr.. Cooper IS
answer. 81 am only stating what oc
Cured I refuse to be drawn into any
discussion as to the advisability of the
exchange. I don't know what would
have been done if the exchange had
not been made, whether the building
would have been built on the Mahuka
site or not. I am willing to state all
that / have done. / have no secrets
TO keep, nothing that / desire to con-
ceal. 1 have worked openly and every
one knows l have always favored the
Palace Square site. -
Mr.. Cooper then gave the dimensions
of the Irwin site, stating that it did
not include the ground occupied by
the Opera House. The area was $4,000 |
oF
feet on King street.
HDere there any other considera- |
tons offered by Mr.. Irwin besides the |
straight trade9' Mr. Wakefield asked. |
fThat is something that 1 don t |
think | should discuss,' said Mr.. |
Cooper. ''That is something which |
should first come from the Secretary. |
l prefer not to discuss the propriety |
or the wisdom of the exchange so far |
as values are concerned.
There being no further questions /
coming, Mr.. Smith and Mr.. Cooper ex-
changed compliments and thanks and /
Mr.. Cooper withdrew.
Discussion on Resolution.
The resolution which had been read
vas then taken up, some amendments
oeing suggested. Mr.. Waldron thought
hat a clause should be inserted de-
the secrecy with which the :
for the exchange had been
carried on. There was a feeling in
he town of contempt for the secrecy
which had been shown.
President Smith thought that the
was too small to begin de-
bouncing anyone and advised against
he use of the word contempt in the
resolution.
Mr.. Paris stated that a deplorable
condition of affairs had been shown to
sxist if the Federal officials at Wash
ngton were able to set aside the de-
.rees of the Federal courts. Mr.. Brock
ms had stated that the United States
would be up against it if it
.ried TO exchange the Sites The gov
certainly ought to abide by
,he decision of the majority after it
lad invited a decision and the reopen
ng of the question was certainly to be
1eplOred.
A number of letters which had pass
I'd between the Waterhouse Trust com
Dany and the government officials dur
ing the negotiations for the Mahuka |
site and the statement of the govern
ment that the site was for a Federal |
were then read, this CORE
spondence being printed elsewhere in
this issue.
Mr.. Dohrmann s Advice.
F. w. Dohrmann, president of the San |