Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-04-20
Tell Executive They Will Stay All
Summer to Get What Is Right.
PROSPECT OF HARD BATTLE SOON
Canvass on to Develop Strength from
Mississippi Valley.
WILL STICK BP THEIR PROGRAM
Younger Element in Upper House
Counted on TO stand by In Big
Contest that Is surely
Coming.
CFrom a staff Correspondent


WASHINGTON, April 1s.-(Special Tele-
gram )-Senators Burkett and Brown had
an extended conference with President
Taft today, their subject being the pend
ing tariff bill As representatives of the
so-caled insurgents of the Senate, the
Nebraska senators, II is understood, pre-
sented to the president their views as to
tariff revision, which they insisted upon
must be downward and not upyard.
While the senators refused absolutely to
speak for publication, II is learned from
reliable sources that they told the presi-
dent substantially that II he would say
the word congress would stay here all sum
mer until a real revision of the tariff
downward was accomplished. Senator
Burkett is convinced that unless concerted
action is taken by the senators represent
ing the central Mississippi valley who, hav-
ing the courage Of their convictions, Will
proclaim them, the west will be holding
the sack while New England and the east
will be getting the bulk of the benefits
from the Aldrich-Payne bill. 1t would not
be at all surprising to see pulled off
shortly one of the biggest fights the SEN
ate has seen in years over the tariff bill
unless concessions are made by the pro-
ducers and manufacturers of the east to
midway Of the continent.
Senators who owe their election to the
progressive element of the republican party
are open in their criticism of cert<1n
schedules in the Aldrich bill and as these
progressive western men -epresent great
farming communities of the United States,
while the senators from the east and New
England represent great manufacturing in
| terests of the country, the point OF view
| Is bound TO play a most interesting part i'm
this drama of the tariff builders
Something More Than Talk.
! Senator Burkett is on the war path and
says that he is not going to let New Eng
land carry Off everything % It's advanagc
! If he can help it. He proposes that the
west shall get something out of the tariff
and speaking as one of the leading in
surgents he hopes those interested In the
schedules which effect farmers of the
west will be able to get together and do
something instead of taking 1t out in talk
1t is known that President Taft is greatly
! worried over the tariff situation. He be-
| lieves in an honest, conscientious revision
of the tariff downward and yet there are
! revenues to be derived from the tariff bill
I to meet expenditures of the government,
which are still a source of much specula-
| ton as to the amount the present bill will
, provide notwithstanding the statement of
| Senator Aldrich today, that the bill pro-
vides ample revenues providing economy
is used in appropriations.
Senator Brown, like his colleague. has
! been holding quiet conferences with the
younger element in the senate who largely
come from the west and northwest. and is
| determined to fight for the things which
his country wants, and he stands ready to
enter into an alliance with western republi-
cans, whose program shall be a duty on
hides, free lumber, free crude oil and its
products, reduction on wire fencing and
nails, and lower duties On hosiery and
gloves.
Poll Taken of senate.
AS result of the conference held Sat
urday, of which the Bee told in dispatches
OF Sunday. Senator Curtis today started a
canvass of the senate with a view of as
certaining how many men stood for duty
! on hides, free lumber, etc. and he hopes
to complete the poll by the last of the
week. In the meantime, conferences be-
tween insurgents will be held daily, with
a view of agreeing upon some plan of ac-
tion which will bring concessions to the
farmers OF the Mississippi central valley.
The Shoe trust is evidently getting in
its work in Nebraska" said Senator Bur-
kett today, holding in his hand a dozen
or more kilograms which he had just re-
ceived from leading shoe dealers I'm the
Prairie state.
Il have received more than twenty tele-
grams" said Mr.. Burkett, practically all