The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-14
TAFT'S OPPOSITION ID
 INCOME TAX Iy FEARED
Advocates of the Tax May Run Up Against Serious Block to Their Plans Among Republi-
 can Leaders.
BY PATTERSON sTEALEY.

EI
 Washington June 13.-(Special.) = Senator Bailey of Texas and Senator Cummins of Iowa, the joint leaders in the fight for the amendment of the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill by the imposi- tion of a tax of 2 per cent on incomes exceeding $500O, both expressed con- fidence today that when the vote is taken Friday they will have a majority of the senate. Each of them claims to have made a careful canvass of the Senate resulting favorably. Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island, the republi- can leader, rarely has anything to say in the nature of a prediction, but, it is stated that he believes he can muster sufficient number of votes to either defeat it, refer to committed, or in lieu of that bring in some substitute propo- sition such as tax on the net profits of corporations. The strongest force against an income tax today is the President of the United States, who before the week is out will probably Dc actively engaged in the effort to pick votes from the ranks of the income tax advocates.
 The income tax advocates fear this force more than anything else. There is considerable hope in republican cir cles of the Senate that with the in- come tax disposed of the bill can be promptly passed by the Senate and thrown into conference.
 Points in Dispute.
 Outside of the income tax probably the main points in dispute are hides and wood pulp. Senator Aldrch will probably win in the Senate by placing the Dingley rates of 15 per cent on hides The House went for free hides by an overwhelming vote. The upshot of the matter will probably be that a compromise will be effected in con- ference reducing the 15 per cent duty to or 10 per cent. The House leaders claim, however, that they will force the Senate to yield for free hides. AS to wood pulp Representative Tawney of Minnesota, the chairman of the ap- propriations committee and one of the most influential of the House leaders, said this morning that he thought the House rate would finally win against the proposed Senate increase
 The Dingley act passed the Senate on July ' and was approved by Presi- dent Mckinley on July "A, making a little over two weeks in conference. The leaders believe they will be able to conclude the present bill within. at most, two weeks, which sh hould put ad- journment by Independence Day in the event nothing unexpected takes place. The conference committee will proba- bly, be composed of eight men from each branch of Congress, five repub- licans and three democrats.
 Conference Committee.
 There has been much speculation as to who will compose the conference committee. Originally they are ap- pointed according to seniority on the ways and means and finance commit tees This will be followed in the Sem ate. but there may be some change in the House. According to seniority the republican House conferees would con sist of Representatives Payne Dalzell, Mccall, Hill and Boutell of Illinois. This alignment leaves the far west without representation and gives the middle west only one member, MT. Boutell, who is not at all satisfactory to the middle west insurgents"
 There is therefore some talk about displacing either Mr. Hill or MT. Me Call and make way for some member from the far west, such as Represen- tative Needham of California. Another reason given for this is that both Mo- Call and Hill are disposed to make sub stantial reductions in the tariff and 1t is feared that they might join with the democrats on certain votes This is particularly true of Mccall, who is in favor of free raw materials of all sorts. Hill is not so radical but he has often been an "insurgentr and is not entirely trusted by organization men.
 The fear of the leaders is that if they leave MT. Hill off the committee he will cause them much more difficulty on the floor. The democratic members of the House on the conference com mittee will be Representative Clark o5 Missouri, Representative Underwood of Alabama and Representative Griggs of Georgia.