Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-16
HILO FRANCHISE
STIRS COMMENT
Street Railway Wanted, But
People viii Look at
Terms Closely.

| Especial Bulletin Correspondence
HILO, Mar. 1j.-Dnring the past
week the public interest in the mat
ter Of street railway franchises for
this city has been less in evidence
than was the case Immediately after
| the Introduction Of the first bill, but
the question Is still being consider
ably discussed. II Is very noticeable
that general distrust Is felt with re-
gard 10 all the ventures which have
come to the public notice, mainly on
account Of the fact that none of the
| promoters names have made a sound
| like ready money, and none Of them
have showed positively where their
coin was to come from in case they
should land the plum. This feeling
| appears, however, 10 be directed
against all the franchise geekers alike.
| The opinion Is very generally express
ed that ililO should have a street rail
way, and that franchise should be
| granted, but that extreme care should
be taken that II be given TO persons
who intend 10 build street railway,
and not merely propose to use the
| franchise to cut high finance pigeon
wings with.
The Beers franchise appears to be
identical with the Lyman bill, or,
rather, the bill which Lyman went to
Honolulu TO get introduced. Beers
insisted that he was much surprised
to find himself named az a franchise
seeker, but he went TO Honolulu last
Friday, and before leaving he stated
| that he intended to fight for the bill,
In case he found that IL was worth
his while II was also possible, he
| said, that he might arrange a com
promise with the COnncss forces and
that they might combine for one fran
chise between them. Beers modegtly
denied the report that he was acting
for the Ililo Electric Light Co, for
a big fee. lie added that during his
stay IN Honolulu he would work for
the passage Of such bills as might
be OF benefit TO this county, mainly
! that providing that branch stores To-
Gated in this county must pay their
income taxes here, instead OF In ilO-
noIulu.
During the week there has been a
persistent report current that Ca
brlnha had decided 10 abandon his
plan TO obtain franchise. This is
| emphatically denied by Cabrinha, and
there are certain indications which
show that he IL still IN the race. lie
| himself says that his bill will be in
trOdnced In about a weeks time.
It Is quite likely that the political
! intrigucs, which have been slumber-
! ing since the campaign, will be re-
| .gfr In, Ia Ia. a IL,
| significant that COnness had IDS bill
introduced by Makekau, and bis wis
dom In this regard has been comment
ed upon; but hint was darkly made
last week by q prominent opponent
Of the franchise that Makekau, as the
father Of the bill, would have to sup
port II, though his paternity also gave
| him the right TO withdraw H. Which
may be significant or not ut all 80.
COnness viii have the support Of De-
sha, and this win make the race be-
tween Lyman and CONFESS for fran
chise particularly interesting, In view
Of the utter absence of love between
the Desha and Lyman interests. It
must then be remembered that Ca
| brlnla has Alfonso as his main friend
at court, and Alfonso Is chairman of
the lands and improvements commit
tee Of the House, which will probably
in the end have considerable 10 say
about the franchises. On the whole,
ut looks az II there was material on
hand for a really interesting little
row, and Honolulu may have chance
TO see how we do things In Hllo, when
we really get warmed up.