Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-15
At THE WHITE HOUSE
Advocates of Free Hides See
the President.
he UTTERS A CAUTION
DECLARES THAT HIS ATTITUDE
HAS BEEN MIsREPREsENTED.
Refers to an ''Unfortunate Experiences"
Mr.. Rice's Statement-Other
Delegations Call.
he UTTERS A CAUTION

Free raw hides was the slogan of boot,
shoe and leather manufacturers Of the
United States who called on President
Roosevelt today and remained with him an
hour discussing what they believe must be
given them unless the industry they repre-
sent is to suffer materially.
When the delegation departed the various
members entertained conflicting views as to
the results. Some of them felt that the
President had expressed views that could
be construed as favoring their cause, while
others looked upon his remarks nom
committal, so far as attitude was concern
ed, but expressive of his intention to give
the subject careful study.
The delegation consisted of twenty eight
prominent shoe manufacturers, the major
ity being from New York and the west and
the minority from the New England states.
At meeting last night they elected Gov.
w. L. Douglas of MaSsa chusetts as their
chairman and spokesman. Next to him In
Importance was President Hanan of the
National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers AS
ISOLATION.
There were representatives from New
York city, Chicago. st. Paul, st. Louis. Mil
waukee, Portsmouth, Ohio Rochester and
Auburn. N. Y. Boston and other New Eng
land cities. Several brief addresses were
made by members of the delegation, and
the President replied to them.
After the delegation had presented its
views and its desires to the President he
told the members that, matter Of con-
crete fact. the whole subject was one with
which the Congress must deal, and he
strongly impressed upon them that any ac-
ton i'll the matter must originate In Con-
greSs.
Statement by Mr.. Rice.
AT the close of the conference w. B.
Rice of the firm of Rice & Hutchins of Bos-
ton made a statement to the newspaper
men of the result of the interview.
I'VE held a meeting last night" said Mr..
Rice, at the New Willard to determine
upon a scheme of action. The members of
the delegation here today and at last nights
meeting represent the entire country, a
majority being from New York and the
west and a minority from New England
We represent the majority of the leather
tanning and boot and shoe interests of the
United States. We decided to request the
President to assist us In procuring legis-
latlon placing hides on the free list and to
reduce the duty on sole leather to 10 per
cent, where the Mckinley law placed It,
We We're able to assure the President that
the boot and shoe interests would consent
to reasonable reduction of the duty on
their products.
L want to say that it Is a mistake to
suppose that our visit here had any reIa-
ton to the western packing interests They
mad nothing to do with it. We are boot
and shoe and leather manufacturers en-
tirely''
In response to inquiry, Mr. Rice said
that, In the course of the interview, the
President inquired as to the attitude of the
late Nelson Dtngiey toward the duty on
hides. q. l.. Packard, a former mayor of
Newton, Mass, responded that Mr.. Dngley
had been opposed consistently to the i'm
position of duty on hides.
ga in ftnS tt,ot he
know whether this subject would be taken
up by members of the present delegation
with the committees of Congress or not
but indicated that some such action might
be taken.
Il go away from here, however" said he,
with a good deal of courage that some
thing will be done now that the ball has
been started to rolling"
Farmers and Cattle Men Opposed.
The President drew the attention of some
of his callers who remained with him after
some of the delegation had departed to the
important fact that Secretaries Wilson and
Metcalf had yesterday laid before him the
opposition of farmers and cattle men to
raw hides and stated that it was claimed
that these interests would lose 81 on each
hide. This claim of the cattle men was dis
puted later by shoe people. They said that
the duty on cattle, steers, is 10 per cent ad
yalorem. The price of a steer on foot, 1t
was declared, ranged around S.. That was
beef, hide, hoof and all. The hide was a
comparatively small part of the total value
1t would not bring over IS cents Conse-
quently the actual loss to the cattle man
or farmer. SO far the hide Is concerned,
would not be more than 10 or Is cents at
the outside, il the duty should be removed
President for Joint Statehood.
President Roosevelt today reiterated the
statement of a few days ago, published in
The Star at the time, that his message to
Congress will recommend joint statehood
for Oklahoma and the Indian Territory.
He has studied the question carefully and
he feels that the two territories ought to
be made into one.
The President received delegation from
the two territories to present the views of
the people of the territories on the ques-
ton. The delegation consisted of G. G.
Jones, Thomas II. Doyle, Robert A. Lowry.
David P. Marum, David r. Boyd, w. II.
Mccall, Albert Hammer and William ii.
Anderson Of Oklahoma, and William john
stone Fred Parkinson, s. G. Victor, c. L.
Green and c. e. Hunter OF the Indian
Territory. The members We're presented
to the President by Senator Cullom and
Representative Curtis.
Secretary Taft in Conference.
Secretary Taft made 1t clear today that
he had no intention of relinquishing super
vision of Philippine affairs. During his
temporary absence in Panama 1t was re-
ported that matters relating to the Philip
pines were to be transferred to the State
Department and hereafter be under the
direction of Secretary Root
THAT story" said Secretary Taft, origin
ated in the mind of the man who wrote it.
There Is absolutely no foundation for II
whatever"
Secretary Taft called on the President this
morning to talk about his trip and observa-
tons. He discussed the subject very briefly
with the President. but made arrangements
to talk fully TO him later.
Female Suffragists Call.
Susan B. Anthony, accompanied by Mrs.
Harriet Taylor Upton and Ida Hustled Har-
per- were among President Roosevelt's CALI
ers this afternoon. Mrs. Anthony said after
the interview that she and her associates
in the work of woman's suffrage merely
called upon the President to talk with him
about our question:
Mrs. Upton, who is treasurer OF the Ma
tional Suffrage Association. said that they