The San Francisco call., 1909-07-27
HOUSE MUSTCUT
LEATHER TARIFF
FOR FREE HIDES
Western Senators Stand Pat
TO Protect, They Say, Cat
tie Growers interests
COnferees Find What Appears
InsurmOuntabIe Obstacle in
Way of Agreement

WASHINGTON, July 26.-Hides will
he put on the free list if boots and
shoes and other manufactured leather
are reduced below the house rates. I'm
less the advocates Of free hides are
able to carry out this bargain the whole
conference is to be called of. A deci-
sion to this effect was reached by the
tariff conferees today.
The conference adjourned tonight un-
tl IL r. m. tomorrow. but the house
members Will assemble half an hour
earlier in order that they may plan for
executing their part of the agreement.
II is expected they will have report
from the house leaders as to the posi-
bility Of passing a rule comforting juris-
diction upon them to agree to lower
rates on leather than those named in
The house bill
ILTTMATUM BY ALDRICH
Senator Aldrieh has informed senators
from northwestern states that he will
not consent 70 free hides unless there
Is a material cut on the rates on boots
and shoes and other leather goods. In
no other way. he said, can he get the
necessary votes in the senate. Senators
from cattle raising states have insisted
that the only way consumers can get
any benefits from the removal Of the
protection on hides viii be by corre-
spending reductions in the duties on
boots and shoes and harness. The Rhode
Island senator's views coincide with this
statement.
If anything should occur TO upset the
plan TO give the conferees Jurisdiction
to adopt lower rates the conference
committee is holding what is regarded
as a trump card IN reserve This pro-
Nides for a conference report putting
hides on the free list and reducing the
rates on shoes and other leather manu-
features.
The report, it is said. then would be
presented TO President Taft with the
statement that the conferees had not
been able to muster sufficient votes TO
assure its adoption and il would de-
volve upon the president to procure the
necessary support for the program. In
the event OF failure the conferees would
submit 2 report placing small duty
on hides and the house rates on leather.
Few Of the conferees believe it will be
incumbent upon them TO resort to such
Tactics.
VIEWS OF WESTERN SENATOR'S
Senator Warren said the western SEN
ators viii not be representing their
states il they consent to the abolition
or the duty on hides in the interest OF
the manufacturers of shoes and other
leather goods unless manufacturers are
compelled to concede lower rates on
leather products While the western
senators take the position that the re-
mOval Of the duty on hides will be in
furious TO the cattle business, some of
them say they will withdraw their pro-
tests because Of the insistence of Presi-
dent Taft If reductions are made all
along the line in the leather schedule.
The program on which the conferees
are working is as follows:
Hides free. as provided by the house
gainst the senate rate Of 10 per cent
al Vslorem.
IN the house bill. as against the senate
rate Of Is per cent.
Dressed upper leather, IA per cent,
rs against Is per cent, in both the
house and senate bills
Boots and shoes, 10 per cent, as
against IS per cent in the house bill
and 20 per cent in the senate bill.
Saddlery and harness. 20 per cent, as
q gaiust 35 per cent in the house bin
BEEF PACKERS AS TANNERS
According TO Senator Warren, the
story that beef packers are engaging
extensively in the tanning business,
and viii be the principal benehciaries
OF a duty on hides has been used by
the free hide lobby" in manufactur-
ing sentiment against the protection
asked by the cattle industry. He sub
mitted figures to Senator Aldrich to be
used in refuting this argument.
Senators entrusted with the task of
canvassing the senate reported today
that il would be impossible to adopt a
report providing free hides The SEN
ators conferred with some of the house
leaders and were informed it is just
as impossible to pass a report through
The house without free hides.
This information was communicated
10 the conferees and convinced them
ii would be futile to pass any more
time trying 10 agree unless concessions
were made 10 cattle interests.
It is desired that Representative
Payne shall have opportunity to pre-
pare an exhaustive statement which
will be presented to the house with the
conference report. This viii require
two or three days and il is likely that
no effort viii be made to get a rule
through the house tomorrow.
PHILIPPINE TARIFF SECTION
The Philippine tariff section was re-
opened by the conferees at the request
Of President Taft. An amendment was
adopted yesterday pr6Eiding that goods
manufactured in the Philippine islands
must be only of ingredients grown or
produced in the islands in order to be
admitted free to the United States The
president took the position that this
amendment would stife. manufacture
in the islands
General Clarence Edwards, chief OF
the bureau of insular affairs, called on
several Of the conferees and urged that
an amendment be adopted providing
FOR free admission when not more than
% per cent OF such goods were COM
posed Of foreign material. The sug-
acstion was adopted
The conferees took steps toward the
anal disposition Of the wood pulp and
L.. Ill ..-h l.