The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-25
RODERICk Q. MATHESON. EDITOR
Mayor Lanes Chance

Il MANOR LANE has been i'll advised, it, as is
IVA reported, he will decline the invitation Of
the Rapid Transit directorate and the public util
tiles commission to name committee from the
board OF supervisors to assist in the framing of
a new charter for the corporation. The mayor is
reported to have expressed the fear that by taking
a hand in the discussion and the drawing up Of
form of charter he will be prejudcing the right
Of the city to object to the completed charter later
II there be room for objection. ar
This position is not well taken WHILE at the
! same time il appears to be an acknowledgement
that it is not possible to name committee from
the personnel OF the board of supervisors able to
safeguard the city's rights in the preliminary
stages OF the charter drawing Certainly the last
is not the
1t is, or should be- much easier to have a charter
framed which will be acceptable the city by
having a hand in the framing than by taking the
completed charter and remakng it. 1t is much
better that the city fathers help than hinder 1t is
much better that the supervisors be represented
al the coming conferences. and be thus playing
their proper part in the formation OF something
for the benefit OF the whole people, than to hold
aloof in order to appear critics later:
The framing of new charter for the RAPID
Transit Company is distinctly public matter and
is a very favorable sign that the desire OF the
territorial government and OF the corporation is
that every step shall be taken in the open No
greater evidence of the confidence felt in the mum
cipal administration could be given than the an
npuncement that committee named by the mayor
is wanted to assist in the charter task and no
greater mistake could be made by Mayor Lane
than to refuse to rise to the occasion and take
advantage of the Offered opportunity. A con
tinuance of the refusal, if it has actually been
made, will be to stamp the administration sus-
picious OF its own ability and afraid to grasp an
opportunity to approach important question
man-fashiOn
s The matter of a new charter for the Rapid
Transit Company. with the cancellation of the
pending litigation-which is all being paid for nv
the public. be it remembered-is a matter of the
very highest Importance to the community. 1t it
can be dealt with at this session of congress it
will mean the spending this year OF great many
thousands Of dollars track extensions and i'm
proyements, the lettering OF the service in
Der Of ways, the opening up of new tracts for home
builders and ,the steady employment Of more wage
earners.
II Mayor Lane will play the part in the
curing. OF these, things for Honolulu, at the same
time providing for proper safeguards for the i'll
ierests of the public in the years to come. he will
Sc doing something that will go far towards mark
ing his administration as a luccess. Nothing
bigger has yet come his way; probably nothing
more important will arise in the city, far
the actual city is concerned for years to come.
Ii he be wise, he will meet the situation. If he
runs away he Will have set his own standard for
others to Judge him bv