Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-01

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Just closed, TO swing the big stick,
and cause those under him to tremble
in fear.
Norman K. Lyman, representative
from Hilo, Hawaii, was the key to the
situation, and it was to him the lobby
lists working for the Hoffman bill
gave their misdirected attention.
But before they had discovered Ly-
man, the chief executive had seen
him. 1t is related that in the latter's
office the Hilo man was given his in
strHctions. Whether he liked the in
structions has nothing to do with the
result. He voted to sustain the gov
ernor's veto.
Among the last four bills approved
by the governor and sent to the legis.
lature last night were house bill 274,
appropriating $15, 600 for expediting the
granting of certain preference rights
on government lands of Piihonua and
Waiakea, South, Hilo, and senate bill
40, granting a gas franchise in the dis.
trict of South Hilo.
1t is Said that Lyman was the only
man outside the executive chambers
who knew these bills would be signed
under certain conditions, yet suffer
duntold agonies of apprehension I'M
til the last few moments of the ses-
sion. The notification of the COVER
nor's approval oflthese measures did
not come down until the Hoffman
franchise was thing of the past.
Lyman Stands Pat"
The vote on the Hoffman bill was
taken at 8 o'clock. The measures in
which Lyman naturally was supposed
to be directly interested, did not ap-
pear with the governors signature
until two hours later. House bill 2T4
was Lyman's property, introduced and
fought through both houses by him,
end was regarded as one of those
things for which he would almost lay
down his life.
In fact, its passage or rejection vir-
tually did mean political life or death
to him.
Though the organized lobby hao
worked hard before the Hoffman fran
chise was voted upon in the house, it
returned to the attack with trebled
energy Immediately afterward. Ly-
man was waylaid outside the hall,
surrounded and held prisoner, listen
ing to the pleas, cajolery and threats
fired in his direction. Though the as
sault centered on him, others of the
nine encountered its force, among
them Dr. Hubby, also of Hilo; Shell
con, of Kauai, and Tayares, of Maui.
The work continued until the ses
sion ended, though the last chance of
the Hoffman adherents was lost with
in few minutes after the vote was
taken. They didn't know it at the
time, however.
Immediately after the balloting, a
recess was taken. House Clerk Eddie
Woodward sent notice of the houses
action to the governor and five min
rtes later the latter's acknowledge
ment of receipt of official notifica-
ton was in the clerks hands, Speak.
er Holstein, who had voted for the
franchise bill, stated privately then
that in his opinion hope of the meas
ure's resurrection was lost. Had any
member of the solid nine suffered
change of heart and moved to recon
slider action he said he would have
ruled it dilatory motion and there
fore not to be accepted and acted up
on. But no such motion was made.
Other Whips Used.
1t is said further than this was not
the only whip employed by Governor
Frear. Two other measures, house
bill 294 and house bin 300 were held
up until the last moment. The first
makes an appropriation for homestead
road in Palolo valley and the second
grants an electric franchise at Lihue,
Kauai. There was some other trad
Ing" of which only few. interested
parties are said to have cognizance,
that caused the house to sustain the
executives veto on the three items
eliminated from the loan bill.
The vote on the Hoffman franchise
was as follows:
Ayes-Asch, Coney, da Silva, Good
ness, Irwin, Kaaua, Kalakiela, Kaniho.
kaupiko, kawewehi, Kupihea, Lota,
McCandless. Paele. Paxson, Robert
son, Waiaholo, Wilcox and the
speaker.
Noes-G P. Cooke, C. H. Cooke, Ly:
man, Makekau, Sheldon, Spalding. Ia
wares and Watkins.
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