Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-02
Franchise Hearing Ends with
Mr.. Peck Stating Company
viii Agree to Some
Amendments

HltICIIutIiCttl0
I'VE are willing to have this fran
chise bill amended; but We wanted it
amended on the theory that what we
did i'm the past was done honorably
and that we are entitled to honorable
settlement at the hands Of the honor
able Legislature" E.
This was the closing statement. of
l.. Tenney Peck, president of the
EaBid Transit & Land Company, last
night, after he had debated with Gov
ernor Frear for almost three hours
on the bills before the senate for the
extension of the company's franchise.
And though the arguments We're long
end sometimes heated, his closing
statement was virtually his only men,
ton of the attitude of the company
toward the present senate bills that
Governor Frear has drafted.
The arguments last night took q
new turn and the large audience IN
the hall of the representatives in the
capitol listened TOT a lengthy account
OF the manner in which the company
lad disposed of it's profits and the
theory upon which II. has been operat-
ing, rather than close analysis OF
the measure which was submitted at
the last meeting by Governor Frear.
So long did the digressions grow that
in the end Senator Judd, member OF
the select Oahu committee, under
whose auspices the meeting was held,
rose to request that at the next meet
ing, the date OF which is set for Thurs
day evening, the speakers confine
their arguments more closely to the
subject of the measure.
Mr.. Peck's digresisons were to es-
tablish that the company had acted in
good faith in the past and to show the
company's Interpretation of the. fran
cldse statute. And the digressions of
the governor came in answering the
statements or questions of the rail-
ways president.
Through the meeting Mr.. Peck re-
peatedIy hit at one point. which was
that the company had always acted
honorable and in the end he showed
what bearing he wished to have in
the settlement of the franchise dis
pnte. He stated after the meeting
that that was the main point he de-
sired to establish last night. From
the beginning he showed that was
his purpose, and the statements he
made or questions asked were all di-
rected toward that point.
Repartee is Sharp.
The hearing last night was dis
tiDctly the most sensational turn the
Rapid Transit controversy has taken,
for the debate between the governor
and Mr.. Peck grew sharper and sharp
or to a number of minor climaxes,
Two or three times Mr.. Peck quite
palpably lost his temper and two or
three times the governors replies
were given with unmistakable anger
il his cutting tones.
The governor also blossomed out as
n brilliant exponent of repartee, and
so acute and wittily sarcastic were
some of his replies when pressed hard
by President Peck that again and
again the sallies were greeted with
loud applause by crowd OF interest
ed citizens in the rear. For instance,
Mr.. Peck referred TO the fact that the
Rapid Transit franchise had been
brought to Mr.. Frear's attention sew
eral times while the governor was
chief Justice, making the obvious IN
ference that the governor should have
called attention before to what he
finds. are defects now.
Didn't you as chief justice have
occasion to see these statutes?" asked
Peck.
"Yes, / believe the company was a
frequent litigant?" said Frear.
AT another time, discussing fiRan-
cjal operations, Mr. Peck asked angri-
1y:
Does the statute, governor, say
you must pay interest out Of gross
income?"t
"Yes, sir. and If you don't believe it
just go to court, that's all" said
Frear.
Toward the end of the meeting Mr.
Peck was called to order several times
by Chairman Brown. During a large
Tart. of the governors reply, Mr.. Peck
broke in with questions, and there
was also running fire of quite aud.
dble commentary from the corner
where Attorney ID. L.. Wilmington, of
the Rapid Transit forces sat amid
legal authorities.
blackboard Talk Given.
1t is true that the earnings of the
company and its disposition of the
profits consumed considerable time,
but they were presented to support the
contention of the president that the
corporation has acted within its rights.
A blackboard had been provided and
figures were put on it, showing the
financial condition of the company for
1902 and 1910.
Mr.. Peck, whom Senator Brown.
chairman of the committee, called on
first, began his argument by asking
the governor a number of hypothetical
questions as to certain rights OF the
company with reference to its bonds
and stocks. The main point in the
questions seemed to be whether the
sinking fund can be deferred so that
extensions may be built, the sinking
fund to. be taken care Of when the
road could afford it. .... J.
After the question of the deferred
sinking fund had been put to the gov.