Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-22
Page Of Vermont Says Beef Trust is
Sole Beneficiary.
PLEA OF THE MANUFACTURERS
1t is Denied that Free Hides Would
Benefit Cattle Trust.
AGAINST
SECTION
SECTION
western Cattle Representatives Urge
Duty, while Eastern Munufactur-
ing Crowd Insists Upon Its
Removal.

WASHINGTON June 21.-The amendment
Of the senate committee on finance taking
hides from the free list and restoring the
Dingey law rate Of Is per cent nd valorem
was before the senate all day, and 1t prob
ably viii not he disposed OF before late
tomorrow, II then,
Senator Warren Of Wyoming and Senator
Carter of Montana supported the provision,
and in vigorous language attacked the atti-
tude of the free hide advocates, while Sen
ator Page of Vermont defended the action
Of the house in placing hides on the free
list.
Thinks senate Insulted.
Mr.. Warren declared that the senate had
been insulted by the charge that the Ding
ley provision had been inserted the result
of a midnight conference, and he declared
that free raw material would be the death
knell of the protective policy, II It should
be adopted, while Mr.. Carter asserted tina.
II the farmers were to be compelled to sell
their products in the open market they
would demand the right to buy manufac-
tured articles in the same kind OF market.
In support of free hides, Mr.. Page con-
tended that the adoption Of such a policy
would not inture the farmers, while at the
same IlTle II Nbuiu ut VI vast bthtllN "
the leather manufacturers He said the
beef trust cornered all the profits on hides
from whatever source
Carter Says "BuncO Game"
'1f a confidence man at a circus ever
presented a less plausible proposition to
the farmer than that" declared Mr.. Garter,
referring to the attitude of the senators
who favor free hides, "he certainly was
wanting in wit.
Never before has the farmers intellt
gence been so discounted" he continued.
"He is told first, that the duty does him
no good, and therefore it will be taken
off Then he is told the duty will be left
on leather, on shoes and on harness, for
the benefit OF the manufacturer. He is
further told he is to buy in the protected
market and sell in open markets Of the
world the things he has to SELL
If" Mr. Carter declared, with vehe-
mence, the farmer is to sell In the open
markets, he will demand that he be al
lowed to buy in the cheapest market"
Senator Page defended the house pro-
vision for free hides. He discussed at
length the influence OF the Central Leather
! company generally referred to as the
leather trust" on the price of hides,
! claiming that II did not tan more than 25
per cent of the total number Of hides in
the country. His conclusion was that that
| company could not be the only beneficiary
of free trade in hides. On the contrary,
he contended that the great beef corpora
tions absorb the profits on hides, whatever
| they mey be- thus shutting out both the
farmer and the manufacturer.
Can Compete with World.
Mr.. Page declared that with free hides
the shoe and harness manufacturers could
compete with the world. He said the
manufacturers average net prices on shoes
is from to cents a pair, He did not
believe, however, that these manufacturers
would be willing to accept his view OF
their ability to compete with the world.
Pointing out that under the present law
hides that do not weigh at least twenty
| five pounds are not subject TO a duty,
Mr.. McLaurln insisted that Justice de-
manded that the senate pass his amend
ment making the duty applicable to all
hides, no matter how small. This duty
he regarded merely in the light of a rev.
enue producer as he had no sympathy
with the protective system.
Free hides were advocated by Senator
Daniel. The hide tax he said. was not
worth what It puts into the treasury.
Daniel n Free Trader.
After speaking at some length to the hide
provision the Virginia senator entered upon
the more general subject Of tariff legis-
lation and eulogzed the exercise OF inde-
pendence in legislation. Referring to his
purpose to vote for free hides Mr.. Daniel
declared: 81 am not going to vote for
free hides because It is a raw material
/ or a finished product"
In closing ne said he was as firmly con-
WINGED that the world was tending toward
free trade as he was that It was tending
toward the brotherhood OF man.