The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-22
President Taft's Dinner Given
at the White House
Was a Failure as Regards Agree
ment on the Tariff.
FREE FOR ALL FIGHT
In the Conference Committee Is
Looked For.
Hides Continue to Be the Chief
Point in Dispute.

Washington. July 22.-The White
House dinner and conference at
which tariff conferees and the pres
ident's closest advisers were brought
together in the effort to settle diff
ferences regarding the tarif bill.
ended at 11;30 o'clock with the dis
putes over raw materials no nearer
adjusted than they were before the
dinner invitations were issued. Only
one question was determined beyond
appeal and that was that the con-
ferees will have to settle their own
differences.
Pains were taken to convey this
impression that this decision is not
indicative of any absence of appre-
citation of the presidents eftorts- it
merely confirmed what the elder
statesmen" had asserted from the
first-that tariff making is trading,
and the shrewdest dealer and the
strongest section Is bound to get the
best of the argument. Ihat tnls
truism is Irresponsible for tho insur-
gent movements In the house ana
senate and party revolt in the mid
die western states does not after the
Briefly stated. the representatives
of the house and senate adihlttcQ
that they were unable to torecaSt
the outcome. Senator Aldrich spoke
for the senate and Speaker cannon
and Representative Dwight, Repup-
lican whip. for the house.
Mr. Dwight spoke of the tnsurgent
movement organized by the anti-free
raw material faction in the house
but he was not ready to estimate the
strength of this element. Hepresen-
tative Payne expressed the opinion
that a conference report carrying
free iron ore, coal, hides and oil
could be adopted in the house, but
he said that he had not canvassed
the situation.
Senator Aldrich was very positive
in the opinion that such report
would fail in the senate, but he
thought there could be reductions
made in the senate rates in which
perhaps iron ore and oil could be
transferred TO the frIs list without
~ he realized that the time had not
--et arrived to call for a decision on
the subject of raw materials
1t is stated that the president did
not press the representatives of eth
er house or senate for more definite
statements of the situation in the
respective branches of congress-.
The customs court and the corpor-
alton tax amendments were discuss
ed at length. Most of those present
agreed with President Taft that the
customs court should be located in
Washington.
The discussion of the corporation
tax dealt with the revenue it will
produce and the general effect Of the
tax from a political point of view.
Some OF the conferees said after the
dinner that no conference report would
be signed until both houses had been
canvassed as to the probability of its
being adopted. No one can say how
much this will delay adjournment OF
the tariff session.
The dinner probably will be written
-, HI 1f
Significant events of a purely political
bearing that has ever taken place at
the White House. The dinner was
served on the western terrace, or roof
of the low lying structure which con-
meets the White House proper with the
executive offices. The president and
his guests made nineteen at the table
In announcing his invitation to the
conferees TO dinner the president fol-
lowed the custom at the capital OF in
cIuding within that term only the Re-
publican members Of the conferences
committee.
All of these were present with the
exception Of Senator Cullom of Ill
nois. who IS detained at Atlantic City
by the serious illness OF his wife FROM
the senate came Messrs. Aldrich. Hale.
Burrows and Penrose. From the house
were Messrs. Payne, Dalzei. Mccall
Boutell. Calderhead and Fordney.
To meet the conferees the president
invited Vice President Sherman. At
torney General Wickersham, Speaker
Cannon. Senator Crane, Senator Root
and Representative Dwight OF New
York, Republican mp OF tne
house. These are the men with whom
the president has consulted most free
" on the subject OF the tariff and IL
was felt that If some satisfactory
working arrangement could not be
made as a result Of the meeting hope
of an early solution Of the tariff tam
gle would be remote.
The question OF free aides has been
the hardest with which the president
and conferees have had TO deal.
The real discussion Of tariff prob
lens did not begin until after the din
ner had been disposed Of It was said
to have been one Of the most carefully
nrepared banquets ever served from
the famous old White House kitchen
and it was no fault Of the president.
MS steward or his old Virginia "darky"
cook if the men Of the tariff were not
in aniable mood when the meal was
done.
..s.aa RAA= RAHRRuE