Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-27
Several SolOns for Duty First, Last
and All the Tin"
MAY ASK TAFT TO
That is Trump Card Whic.
Have in Reserve
TO REDUCE RATE ON L ;:
This Seems Certain Now, i'm
Made Adjournment
Now Seems Farther Away
Thun Ever.

WASHINGTON, July 2S-EIides will be
put on the free list II boots and shoes and
other manufactures OF leather are reduced
below the rates fixed by the house piil.
Unless the advocates Of free hides are able
to- carry out this bargain, the whole pro-
gram is 10 be called off. A decision to this
effect was reached by the tariff conferees
today.
The conferees adjourned tonight until II
a. m. tomorrow, but the house members
win assemble half an hour earlier so that
they may ley their plans for executing
their part of the agreement. 1t is expected
that they viii have a report from the house
leaders as to the possibility of passing a
rule comforting jurisdiction upon them to
agree TO lower rates on leather than those
named in the house bill.
Senator Adrich has informed senator's
from northwestern states that he will not
consent to the abolition Of the duty on
hides unless there is q material cut in the
rates on boots and shoes and other leather
goods. In no other way, he said, can he
get the votes necessary for the adoption of
the report in the senate II 1t carries free
hides. Senators from cattle raising states
have insisted that the only way consumers
can get any benefits from the removal of
the protection on hides will be by cor
responding reductions In the duties on
boots and shoes and harness.
May Pat II UD to Taft.
IT, for any reason, parliamentary or
otherwise anything should occur to upset
the plan TO give the conferees jurisdiction
to adopt rates lower than those named by
either the house or the senate the confer
ence committee is holding what is regarded
as a trump card, in reserve. This provides
for the preparation OF conference report
putting hides on the free list and reducing
the rates on shoes and other leather manu-
features
Tho report, It is said then would be pre-
sonted to President Taft with the statement
that the confeuesa had not been able TO
muster sufffcieht votes to assure it's
adoption. and Il would devolve upon Presi-
dent Taft to procure the necessary support
for the program. In the event Of failure
according to promoters OF this suggestion,
tho conferees would submit report plac-
ing a small duty on hides and the house
rates on leather The president would be
asked to get the necessary votes IN the
house to insure the passage OF such pro-
gram by that body.
Reluctance to Oppose President.
most of the conferees, It is said to have
been suggested in all seriousness. Few
of the conferees believe that It will be in
cumbent upon them to resort to such tao
tics, however. for all OF them realize that
the criticisms, usuBly heaped upon mem
bers who oppose the administration view
make men hesitate to combat the presi-
dents viii on that account, II is gener-
ally believed that the compromise giving
cheap rates on shoes and other manu-
factures OF leather in return for free hides
win be adopted
Senator Warren said today that the west
ern senators would not be representing
their states II they were TO consent to the
abolition OF the duty on hides in the In
terest of the manufacturers of shoes and
other leather goods. unless manufacturers
in New England and other eastern states
are compelled 20 ooncede lower rates on
leather products. While the western SEN
ators take the position that the removal
OF the duty on hides will be injurious to
the cattle business, some Of them say
they will withdraw their protests, because
Of the insistence OF President Taft II
reductions are made all along the line in
the leather schedule
Program of COnferees.
The program on which the conferees are
working Is as follows:
Hides free, as provided by the house,
against the senate rate of r per cent ad
valorsm
Sole leather. per cent, the same as in
the house BILL as against the senate rate
OF per cent.
Dressed upper leather. IN per cent, as
against Is per cent in both the house and
senate bills.
Boots and shoes. 10 per cent, as against
cent In the senate bill
Saddlery and harness % per cent as
against per cent In the house bill and
40 per cent In the senate bill.
According to Senator Warren, the story
that beef packers are engaging extensively
In the tanning business, and will be the
principal benefioisriss OF duty on hides,
has been used by the free hide lobby in
manufacturing sentiment against the pro-
lection asked by the cattle industry. He
submitted figures to Senator Aldrich TO be
used in rofuting this argument Mr. War
rem declared that the three largest packers
In the United States annually tan LS63OlO
hides. which, he said. is only per cent
OF the entire domestic production He
denied that the beef packers are able to
control the leather market
Opposition 20 Free Hides,
n nators who were entrusted with the
talk Of canvAssing the senate. reported to-
day that Il would be impossible to adopt
report providing for free hides. These
senators conferred with some OF the house
leaders. ana were informed that under
present conditions II IL just a. impossible
to pass report through the house with.
out frss hides. This information was com
municatod 70 the conferees and convipeed
them that It would be futls TO spend any
more time trying 70 reach an agreement.
unless concessions were made to the cattle
interests In the form Of reductions in
leather.
According 10 the leaders tonight the plan