The Washington herald., 1909-07-27

The joint conference committee
of the House and Senate reached a
substantial agreement on the tariff
bill yesterday, but certain details
of the settlement are yet to be
placed in proper form at future
meetings Of the committee.
The result Of the conference may
best be described as an agreement
to agree.
There was a marked clearing Of
the atmosphere in the conference
room, and when the Conferees
emerged late Yesterday afternoon
their faces were more cheerful.
Hides will go upon the free list.
The reductions in the duties on
boots and shoes and other prod
ucts of leather will be about what
the President has been contending
for.
The duty on sole leather will be
: per cent; on boots and shoes, 10
per cent; on upper leather, either
IN per cent or 10 per cent, and
on harness and ike articles, about
20 per cent.
May Vote Today.
An intimotion was given from the con-
ferees late yesterday afternoon that there
would probably be some voting on dis
puted questions IN the conference to-day.
It IS reasonably certain that n re-
port Will not be made for several days,
notwithstanding an agreement may or
may not have been reached at this time.
The House will meet at noon to-day.
Il was said IN an authoritative way
that rule giving the conferees addition
al Jurisdiction to enable them to reduce
the duties below the lowest rates IN the
Senate and House bill viii necessarily be
reported and passed by the House.
But It was said that ii would not be
done at the session to-day. A number Of
excuses are offered for the delay IN re-
porting the bill from conference. It Is
said that Representative Payne desires
10 prepare and make public a long state
ment In explanation OF the conference re-
port That will require some time.
Then Il will take two or three days to
make up the conference report. which Is
a clerical task OF no small proportions.
Then the Democratic conferees Will
have TO be consulted. All Of this will
take time. Due allowance was made for
these necessary delays by the. Senate
yesterday when It agreed TO adjourn
over until Thursday.
One Session Only.
only one session OF the conference
committee was held It was begun at
2:3O and ended shortly after p. m That
the subject Of hides and leather was
under consideration was emphasized by
the fact that Senators Lodge and Crane,
Of Massachusetts. and Representative
Weeks. OF the same State. took up their
stations IN the rooms Of the Senate Of
fee building that are directly across the
hall from the conference room.
Representative Mccall. one Of the con-
ferees, made several trips back and forth
between the conference and the room oc-
cupled by the Massachusetts men, The
story gained circulation during the att
ernoon that the boot and shoe manufac-
turers Of New England were really the
agencies which kicked over the arrange
ment which seemed so fairly satisfactory
on Saturday and which promised to lead
10 an agreement within a few hours.
The boot and shoe men objected TO the
low duties proposed by the President in
the way OF a concession for putting hides
on the free list. But whatever the OBJ
iections from that source, they seemed to
have practically disappeared under the
mlnlstrations OF Senators Lodge and
Crane After the conference broke IN
Senator Crane spent some time IN the
private office OF Senator Aidrich. and then
rode away with the chairman Of the Sen
ate conferees. He seemed in an amiable
mood, and optimistic as to an early agree
ment.
Hear From President.
There was considerable activity shown
outside Of the conference room. 1t be-
gun in the morning by visits 10 tlre
President and Information carried away
oil