Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1910-08-01
Territory knew nothing.

, Territory knew nothing.
Just what this Hilo wharf license
means to the people of these islands
to just what extent the Territory will
by this franchise turn over the vam
able water front privileges to Il pri
yate corporation and place the peopl,
at the mercy of a railway. cannot b,
| figured out by cursory reading OF
\ the franchise.
1t is known that changes In this
proposed license were made 'or tn,
further protection of the public
through the protests offered by bust.
ness men satisfied that the Territory
was, through its executive officials
granting what amounts to exclusive
control of valuable section OF the
public waterfront
or course the people understand
fully that the Hilo Railway is prim.
arily a philanthropic institution. Sug.
gestions to this effect were inferred
by General Manager Thurston when
he argued that the Interstate Com
inerce laws be extended TO our water
transportation, ...
hut what the people want TO know
is where they get of when the Hilo
Railway-it II should pass into the
control of selfish persons--hass .bso-
lutely control of the approach to this
proposed wharf?
The people are interested In wheth-
,er they, will be obliged to pay tribute
to private corporation for the Use
Of their own waterfront
The prospective small farmer Is Wit
ally Interested In knowing whether he
can drive his team onto the wharf
probably the only wharf for ,nme
years to come-and get his produce
or must by virtue of the railways con-
troll Of the approaches, pay tribute to
the railway for the landing Of his
goods, the storage OF his goods Il
they happen to remain more than, for
ty-eight hours, and the transportation
Of his goods off that wharf.
Furthermore the people want to
know why Territorial officials should
be. anxious to grant his valuable
privilege to private interests and al
.ow two years for the acceptance OF
the same. and Ave years to complete
the construction, when the i.eSis'a-
ture is to meet within the next ) ear
and would then, with all the facts be.
fore 1t, be in position to act advis'
eddy on the construction of the wharf
as public wharf. operated as well as
built by and for the public.
Why this seeming haste?
Why the failure to put the wholt
matter before the public before any
protest was made?
Why not let the Legislature have q
chance within the next nine months
since the private corporation Is TO be
allowed two years in which to make
up its mind?
Public control of privately con
structed public works has been rec
ognized as having many good feat
ures. But it would appear from the
reading of the proposed franchise thai
not dollars worth of freight ovel
and above that ordinarily allowed pas
sengers, can pass onto or over tina
wharf without paying tribute TO the
private corporation; furthermore mo-
/ a pound of freight can be takcn of
that wharf without 1t is hauled by thu
interests controlling the approach Il
the wharf, namely the railroad.
One OF the difficulties of the small
shipper today is that he must pay
tribute to private owners of Ian Jings
This Hilo wharf franchise looks
on the face OF 1t as II the private
landing trouble was to be handed on
to Hilo on large scale.