The Washington times., 1909-07-16
Heard and Answered.

The President heard and answered the
arguments Of his callers, who stood in
q semicircle before him. each eager to
plead and protest by turns. all anxious
TO catch every syllable that fell from
his lips. The office was crowded with
men who knew that what he said meant
the denial or the achievement Of tlseir
plans. and ne made no effort TO conceal
the fact that he is IN the tarin fight in
earnest until the last minute
What he said and the manner Of his
speech were complete Genials OF tho
criticism that he vas in the power OF
the Senate and House leaders and that
he would sign any bill which might
be put before him. When the interview
ended-or rather the debate, for the
gathering resembled a town meeting
the Representatives filed cut OF the
little office. persuaded that their errand
had been in vain
The Delegation.
In the delegation were BarchEeld OF
Pennsylvania, Young OF Michigan. Mon
dell OF Wyoming. langley Ct Kentucky,
Cowles Of North Carolina, Austin OF
Tennessee. Gaines of West Virginia,
Hubbard of West Virginia. Keifer or
Ohio. Slemp of Virginia, Woo6yard Of
West Virginia, and Senator Bradley OF
Kentucky
They went to the White House. ac-
eording to a prearranged plan. to pro-
test against the Presidents fight TO have
free raw materials made a part Of the
tariff bill They protested against free
material with the argument that they
the duties. but wanted none of the ma
teTials discussed on the free list What
they wanted protection for was iron
ore. lumber. coal, oil. and hides.
What they believed when they left
She President can be best summed up
in the words Of Representative Bareh-
felo- OF Pennsylvania, who said:
'OH, we received no encouragement
from the President. He is strong for
raw materials, and that's all there Is TO
it. He wants 10 co MS duty by his
country and he IS determined % carry
out the pledges Of his party and the
platform on which he ran for the office
he now holds, He sees his duty TO be
10 secure free raw materials"
Langley OF Kentucky, an opIiTDist by
nature, gave the most cneeFfut account
of the interview by saying:
II do1't think there was anything par
tcularly discOuraging about it
But the others believed that, upon
second thoughts, Mr.. Langley would
change his mind.
Result of Conference.
The result Of the conference. which
laiave6 the Cabinet meeting nearly
b-lf ar hour, has been TO persuade the
Senste, the House, and all of official
Washington that Mr.. Taft will veto the
bill unless he gets into it what he wants.
There was no hesitation I'm what he said.
no attempt to sidestep a single question.
no hint Of any hesitation 10 indicate
his position.
In the words OF Mr.. BarchfeId: He
favors the abolition OF protection where
ever abolition is not a recessity.'
He has no patience with those who
want TO saddle on the country duties
whose only effect viii be 10 build up
business or give the promoters OF a
business receipts in excess OF what they
might legitimstely expect
That he will veto the bill If he does
not get what he wants. is now admitted
in many quarters, but this is qualified
by the further assertion that he is in
an excellent position 10 get that very
thing Ii is doubted whether the House
could be brought TO pass Dill which
the President did not indorse, and for
this reason the House leaders will be
afraid 20 try 1t out.
What Took Place.
At the interview today there was no
stenographer present TO record YER
batim what was said by the Representa-
tives or the President. but the story OF
what occurred in Mr. Tafts office can
best be told by one of the men who
men present. He said:
The discussion was opened BY BIr
Young of Michigan who made long
speech in protest against the fight for
free iron ore, as now provided in the
Payne BILL
Why. Mr.. Young exclaimed the
President IN surprise when Young had
finished MS remarks. you come from a.