Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1909-10-21
THAT TELEPHONE AGREEMENT.

Citizens of Honolulu don't reallS
care whether Supervisor Bill Ayiott
said there were 5000 feet in mile
or not.
Their single desire is that the
telephone company shall lay It's con-
Quits according to proper regula-
tions, and that the city shall secure
the most favorable terms for carry
ing it's own wires for the fire and
police service.
Supervisor Aylett is therefore
speaking very much to the point
when he says that he believes the
people should know the full text OF
the agreement he was supposed -
sign and which would bind the city
Of Honolulu for twenty-seven years.
AS further proof that Mr.. Aylctt
Is correct in his conclusion that full
publicity should be given this agree
ment. we find that the merchants OF
the city have. during the last TWEEN
ty-four hours. requested that the tel
ephone company directors and the
city Supervisors give them hearing.
The purpose of this hearing is not
so much TO tell the corporation or
the Supervisors what should be done,
as 1t Is to enable the business men
of Honolulu to get all the facts ot
what is intended to be done. They
would have both sides.
As the first step for complete in
formation, we commend voters OF
this city 20 perusal of the pro-
posed agreement published in this
issue of the bulletin through
the courtesy OF Supervisor Aylett.
Whether Mr.. Aylett's criticism OF
this agreement is justified or not,
this paper Is not in a position to
speak, Us the copy of the document
was brought into the Office at late
hour In the forenoon, but we are
quite certain that n desire for the
people 10 become acquainted with all
the details OF and thoroughly under
stand this important contract would
be sufficient cause for with.
holding action on 1t till later ses-
sion Of the Board of Supervisors.
Agreements sometimes mean what
appears on the face, and sometimes
they don't. 1t has happened that
more complete discussion has
brought out points for mutual bene-
fit that had not occurred to either
the people OF the municipal officials.
An instance in point occurred in the
recent conference over the Organic
Act amendments. Although the
amendments had been threshed over
for the better part of a year, one
man brought In a suggestion as to
land administration that had never
been mentioned previously, and the
point, was very important.
Unselhsh citizens of Honolulu have
no reason TO go up in the air with
excitement over the telephone agree
ment.
1t is far better to spend twenty
seven days in getting the agreement
. right and eliminating it from politi-
cal campaigns than to close It up
quickly and then devote the twenty
seven years the telephone franchise
has to run to regretting the acts OF
public officers
Honolulu citizens have no desire
to cinch the telephone company. At
the same time there is no reason
why the city of Honolulu should be
put in the position of possibly pay
ing more for carrying It's wires
through the streets than is neces-
sary.
If George II. Carter We're to be
the manager and director of the
company for the full twenty-seyen
years of the company's charter, the
city might be safe in signing most
any sort OF n contract and trusting
TO Carter to make it right" II any
snags developed.
But Mr.. Carter and his associates
may want change of climate or
work before twenty-seven years have
elapsed Supervisor Bill Aylett or
some of his friends might be running
the telephone company, and then
what would the organ of the attor-
ney for the company do IL the agree
ment were not exactly right from
the standpoint of the public?
The Bulletin believes that