Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-04-01

GIIilI3 DlilS, anu II any UTILITY Oil UdQ
to be passed, lit not appearing that
any of the committee distinctly favor.
ed any bill being passed at all, it
was further argued that a bill along
the lines indicated by this pro bono
publico committee should be the one.
The present act is drawn on the
lines then indicated, namely, to have
a commission with power az to in
vestigate public utilities, their fnan-
ces, rates, methods and facilities; '(2)
to publish facts and findings relating
thereto; and (3) to make recommen-
dations for changes in rates and i'm
proyements in service.
These powers above referred to are
the ones given to the present commits
sion with the additional powers slip
ped into the bill by way OF amend
merlt when ii was going through the
Legislature.
On March 81, the Advertiser had a
long editorial headed Investigation,
Publicity and Recommendation" in
connection with public utility con-
Germs, the main thought being tina.
the power of recommendation without
the power to enforce such a recon-
mendation was sufficient in this ter
ritery. In that same issue of the Ad,
yertiser. this same committee, repre-
senting the Eoao1uIu Chamber of Cone
merce, the Honolulu Merchants As
sociation and the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters Association, the bodies that
control the political and financial de3-
TIMES of.eyery man, woman and child
permanently located In this territory.
published an able. elaborate. exhaus-
tive and very, very plausible brief
with the same end in view. as suggest.
ed editorially, namely, Investigation,
publicity and recommendation.
In the Advertiser CT April 6, 1918,
appears a draft Of bill which mag
inc was the one agreed on between
the governor and the gentlemen on
this committee. This bill, with some
amendments, also finally agreed to,
passed and became law. r..
On April 10, 1913, the Advertiser
published an editorial headed Better
Be Slow Than Sorry favoring a pub
lie utility bill admittedly suggested Il.
part by public utility corporations!
On April Ia, 1913, the Advertiser In
a long editorial advocated in all sin.
=eerity that puL &c utility bin with
only teeth enough ito bite off what
can at present be digested. be passed,
leaving to the future generations the
supplying of real teeth. !.
On April L., 1913. the Advertiser
quotes the then governor with saying
that II will sign the bill, 1.-THE pres.
.ent utility act) profsding, OF course,
that the amendments did not radically
change 1.-THE emphasis is nnine) 1t
more than believe: ] have good rea.
son to believe that the only amend
ments that amounted to anything were
drawn by Governor Frear, after con-
sultation with at least one, if not more,
of the members of this public spirited
committee.
Act 135 of the Session Laws of 1913,
sgbjecting certain gas, electric light
and power, telephone, railroad and
street railway companies and fran.
chise holders to the provisions of the
public utilities act. which requires, of
course, the approval of Congress to
make it effective, was signed by the
governor on April 80, 1913. Without
the approval of this Act 1876 by Con.
gress, the present public utilities act
will never amount to much, as any
reputable lawyer can tell you. Has
anybody heard Of these public utility
concerns or this public spirited COM
mittee urging Congress to approve
Act 1876? Has Ex-Governor Frear, who
has been in Washington for a number
of months, been openly advocating the
approval by Congress of Act 135? If
so, have not heard of it, and ! have
been in Washington recently myself.
To get down to the best means OF
Carrying out my Interpretation of the
act and also the spirit in which it
should be Undertaken. AS the act now
stands, would carry out the act In
the manner suggested by the attorneys
of the public utilities themselves, to-
wit, investigation, publicity and re-
commendatioI. In my opinions this
will undoubtedly help toward inducing
the next legislature to put something
besides false teeth in the public util-
tiles bill. Even Investigation, public.
ity and recommendation if properly
and efficiently carried out, will, IN my
opinion, make enemies fer the. COM
nlissioners, yet, it is sometimes said,
that man who makes no enemies
makes nothing. /
Economy will have to be practiced
of course. A. great deal of unneces-
Sary expense in clerical hire is at
present, think, being incurred. In
many ways the expense of running
the commission may be reduced.
Thanking you for an opportunity OF
placing myself on record on the i'm
portant matters above referred to,
beg to remain
- <-"~ Yours truly,
I NIL Irn