Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-18
MASSACHUSETTS LEADER
SCATHINCLY REBUKED

treaty /, as chairman of the commit
4 tee, made an argument in favor Of the
treaty and in the argument made ref.
erence to the advantage Of reciprocal
treaties with Canada We understood
the President to express himself as not
unfavorable to the Hay-Bond treaty,
but DESTROYS of seeing and favoring
also the fullest possible freedom Of
trade with Canada. was not aware
that this was to be regarded in
the nature of a confidential commune
cation; quite the contrary, as we were
there, as we stated to the President,
as committee Of the chamber of COM
merce committee of one hundred, sent
to consult with the President and to
report the result Of that conference
to the full committee, which was
equivalent to giving it to the public.
while we may have misunderstood
the President, I do not see how we
could have done So. I absolutely deny
any 'willful' and intentional misrep-
resentation of the Presidents atti-
tude and I have no recollection of
what he refers to as the 'context'which
was calculated to modify the views he
expressed. The committee above
named made substantially this report
to the full committee at the time Of
cur return from Washington and the
] Presidents attitude as we understood
| it, has been subject for congratula.
ton among our people from the time
Of our visit to Washington until the
present. 1t was, therefore; nothing
new and l did not regard my refer
IA IN
matter
II regret extremely that the Presi-
dent should consider that have mis-
represented his attitude and espe-
cially that he should feel have inten-
tionally done so, which. aver, is not
true"
Indorse Whitneys Statement.
Mr.Whitney sent copies of his state
ment to Mr.. Hall and Mr.. Webster,
both, of whom have Endorsed it, Mr..
Webster saying:
Il have read your letter regarding
the interview with the President last
winter. My recollection of what was
said at that time is substantially as
you have written I did not. under
stand that it was confidential in
terview"
Mr.. Hall in his letter said:
1 II have just received your letter
concerning our conversation with the
President last winter. Ny recollection
agrees with yours. I had no concep-
ton that the interview was considered
confidential by any one"
i Douglas Voices Leather interests.
Aside from this Whitney episode the
tariff talk was highly significant Gov.
Douglas as the spokesman said in
part:
1--WE are not here as representatives
of New England only, but here to rep.
resent the whole Of this great body of
manufacturers, representing manufac.
turers of $300,0O0,000 worth of shoes
We employ over 100000 workmen land
pay something like $75,000,000 to
wage earners. We come here unani-
nous to ask, and are united in favor
of, the reduction of the duty on hides.
about 240,000,000 pairs of shoes
are made annually in this country
The differences in the prices of sole
leather between this country and Can.
ada, where there is no duty on hides
which equals from about to cents
Of our shoes. While Z cents addition.
al cost on a pair of shoes may seem
an unimportant matter to the ordi.
nary person, that amount represents
more than the profit made by the av.
erage manufacturer. So we are plead
ing for the existence of our industry. "
Governor Douglas said that in 1897
hides were,9 cents per pound. The
| Is per cent duty put on by the Ding
/ ley tariff has increased the price to
1914 cents pound. The hide duty
was put on to benefit the cattle rails.
ers, but he asserted that cattle are
raised primarily for beef, and that
hides are only a by-product. To take
off the duty he said would not injure
the cattle raiser. If the duty is taken
off American manufacturers, he said
can not only sell shoes cheaper but
can export more.
Governor Douglas announced that
the interests he represented will
consent to reasonable reduction OF
this duty willingly in order to Obtain
free hides and cheap leather All we
ask" he added, "is free field and nc
favor, either in our own or in foreign
markets. Take away the duties thai
prevent us from obtaining leather al
the same prices paid by our foreign
competitors and we will not only hold
our own markets, with or without a
duty on shoes but we will invade for
eign markets on an extensive scale.
In so doing we will provide additional
work at good wages to orr boot and
shoe workers"
President Roos eveIt's Reply.
The President, in replying, said:
1t is, of course, unnecessary te
point out that no change in the tariff
can be made keeping in view only the
interests or desires of one state OF
, one locality. The law must first talke
, tangible shape in the lower house Of
congress, and must, therefore, roughly
. correspond to the sentiments of the
, citizens of the several states, as ex
pressed through their representatives
therein. Where the interests and
therefore, the sentiments based or
these interests are diverse, as is al
!, most invariably the case in reference
. to the details of all tariff matters, the