The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-24
FREE HIDES.
Substantial Reductions in Duty
on Leather Goods.
This Is Now the Outlook for the
Tariff Bill.
TAFT HAS 'EM GOING.
The President Has the House
Behind Him.
The Conference Work Is Ex-
pected to End Today.
TAFT HAS 'EM GOING.

Washington, July 24-Hides will be
put on the free list and existing rates
on all leather goods will be substantial
ly reduced, some of them below the du-
ties fixed by either the house or SEN
ate tariff bills While no vote was
taken on the hide question by the con-
ference committee today, practically
every member admitted when a recess
was taken at 1 O'Clock that this pro-
gram would be adopted.
There was every Indication at the be-
ginning of tOday's session Of the tariff
conferees that the conference was near
ing the end. Most of the conferees ex-
pressed confidence that the work prac-
tically would be concluded before the
end of the day. There was, however,
a great deal to be attended to and in
addition some of the most important
items still remained unsettled. Hides
were today, as yesterday. the most OBJ
structivc of all the subjects and when
the conferees retired behind closed
doors they were still undetermined as
to what should be done.
UnquestionabIy the president, with
the house behind him, has the better
of the situation, but there is real anxi-
ETY. over the result in the senate in
case their. demand is acceded to.
The frs word from the conference
room was that hides were receiving
most attention from the individual con-
ferees.
AS those who have contended for
,he retention of the duty on hides
have demanded greater reduction
in the leather schedule than 1t is eN-
pected will be made the conferees re-
fuse to speak of the result attained in
the forenoon e&ecutive session of the
conference. A variety OF opinions
nxnTnSSad 19C
to be fixed on leather. The general
ly accepted program is as follows:
The Program.
Hides free; sole leather per cent
ad valorem, the same the house
rate and 10 per cent lower than the
senate rate; leather for uppers ~
per cent; which is one-half the rate
of the senate and the house bills;
boots and shoes 10 per cent. as
against Is per cent in the house bill
and 20 per cent in the senate bill.
These rates, it is said, are to be ap-
piled to articles, which are made
chiefly of the grades or hides, which
would be admitted free.
The present indications are that
the advocates of a duty on hides will
accept the situation after a struggle
in the senate.
Senator Aldrich declined to discuss
the proceedings Of the conference COM
mittee beyond saying that all member
hoped to get through today and Ger
tainly would not go beyond tomorrow.
He expressed the hope that the extra
ordinary session Of congress would be
able to adjourn by SATURDAY. night next
This information conveyed to Senator
Cummins by Senator Aldrich, who
added:
Il think we will be able to present a
report which you carr support most en-
Enthusiastically
q hope so,' said Senator Cummins,
but the situation may be like that In
which the old lady who was giving ad-
vice to her son found herself when shA
called attention to his father. There is
your father now lying on the lounge
dead drunk. I hope to meet him in
Heaven, but 1 don't expect to-"
The other subjects classed as ma
tionaI issues by reason of President
Taft's interests in scaling the duties
such as lumber iron ore. coal wood
pulp and print paper-were not consid-
cred at the forenoon session.