The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1909-08-03
ALLEGED JOKER
IN TARIFF BILL
Conference Committee Hur=
riedly Reassembled.
WESTERNERS In REVOLT

ooit OF senators iHTedteneo on HC-
count of the PhraseoIogy of the
Hide and Leather Compromise.
Regular Republicans Alarmed at
the Numerical Strength Shown by
the insurgents"
Washington, Aug. 3.-With the tar
IN conference report facing threatened
defeat in the senate on account of an
alleged Joker" in the hide and leather
compromise 1t was decided to reas.
semble the conference committee for
the purpose Of preparing an official
explanation. President Taft was
largely responsible for the reassem
bling.
The action of Western Republican
senators, aided by the Democratic
members, in compelling the reading
OF the conference report in full en-
abled the supporters of the conference
report to take a new poll OF the SEN
ate. Much to the surprise of the sup
porters of the report they found that
their previous canvasses were value
less. There seemed to be a revolt
among the Westerners on account of
the phraseology that had been adopt
ed by the conferees in adjusting the
differences in the hide and leather
paragraph.
murings of discomfort. but these had
cot been regarded as serious. Charges
that the leather compromise harbored
a Joker" had been heard, but such
htimations are not unusual in con-
nection with the settlement of con-
troversies. Some of the dissatisfied
senators said that the duty on boots
and shoes had not been reduced to 10
per cent as alleged by the conferees.
Foundation for the Charge.
The language of the conference re-
port imposing duty of 10 per cent
on boots and shoes is as follows,
THAT boots and shoes, the upper
leather of which is made wholly or in
chief from such hides (hides admit
ted free of duty shall pay a duty of
10 per centum ad valorem."
Senators from cattle states assert
that there are no shoes of that de-
scription used In the United States
and that the reduction, therefore, is
valueless, as ell other shoes OF
leather are made dutiable at Is per
cent.
Realizing that some heroic measure
would have to be taken in order to
restore public confidence some of the
conferees expressed a willingness to
adopt a resolution permitting the con
ferees to revise the action In regard
to the hide and leather schedule.
The older and more conservative
members said that this would not be
necessary. They believed that if an
explanation were made the public
would accept 1t In good faith, espe
cially If President Taft gave the ex
planation his endorsement
There were several things about
the settlement of the differences be
tween the house and the senate over
the lumber schedule that were tbs
subject of condemnation on the part
of the senators from Middle Western
states and it was reported that the
conferees might include in whatever
statement they made some explana
tion of the action In regard to thai
schedule. The increase above the
Dingley rates made on shingles is OBJ
tected to. particularly by the insur
gents.
Conferees Justify Language.
Members OF the conference commit
tee said that the language employed
had been made necessary by parlia
mentary situation, making it impossi
bic to reduce duties below the Lowest
rate fixed by either body unless by {
proviso adopted In connection with {
paragraph In dispute. such as that re
lating to hides 1t Is asserted that i
was necessary, therefore. to limit th'
reduction to leather goods made chief
b from hfees of cattle
A canvass of the senate during the
reading of the conference report de
VCIcpCu Shc LdGt lIldl "
senators who were believed to be il
sympathy with the report were In
clined to leave the reservation" a
the act of joining an insurgent forc'
Is commonly >ermed in the senate
That the regular Republicans wer'
alarmed at the showing would be put
ting 1t mildly There followed hun
ried rounding up of senators In tn
finance committee room. The genera
understanding Is that the informa
conferences in Senator Aldrich's room
did not restore confidence.
Senator Aldrich then visited tn
White House. Several other senator
had preceded him there. All of tn
White House visitors said that tn
president had declared that the Lar
suage used in the conference repoi
was not =. Joker" and that he ha