Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-08-03
DHOON Il LII LII LII
Alleged "Joker" in Leather Schedule
Arouses Ire of Range
Senators"
SOME DUTIES NOT REDUCED
President Taft, However, Stands By
Conference Report,
WRITES LETTERS ON SUBJECT
Denies Emphatically That Joker" is
in Measure.
CONCESSIONS ARE DEMANDED
WRITES LETTERS ON SUBJECT
CONCESSIONS ARE DEMANDED
Statesmen, Interested in Hide Duties,
Threaten Defent of Bill II Leather
Rate IL Not Cut
Lower.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2-Taritf legisla-
ton has been delayed again by the hide
and leather question and a result the
| conferees we're called together once more
| today.
Western senators complain that the
| leather schedule. as arranged by the con-
ferees. with the approval Of the presi-
dent, is unfair to the states interested In
| protected hides. 1t was agreed today that
some action must be taken TO consulate
them IL the conference report is TO be
/ adopted
! without thought Of serious obstacles in
! the pathway of the conference report
| Senator Aldrich caused the report to be
taken up today as soon as the senate met
AS is usual, the senate leader and his
associates moved about to ascertain
whether there had been any change Of
| sentiment They were not long in learn
| ing that the charge that there was a
! Joker in the compromise hide and leather
question and upset the comfortable ma
jority they had previously counted for the
adoption Of the report
| The difficulty appeared to be a lack of
understanding between the conferees, the
president and the western senators con-
corning the condition under which the
latter consented to hides being placed on
the free list
Cause of the Kick.
The westerners claimed they had been
led to believe that all boots and shoes
of leather were to be dutiable at 10 per
cent and that all harness was to be
dutiable at 20 per cent. When the con-
ference report was issued 1t appeared that
the reductions applied only to articles
manufactured in chief part Of the class
, Of uyhf oh h.. -
duty. The reductions would not apply to
shoes, the uppers OF which were made OF
calfskln or to harness, the chief value
of which was calfskin.
Some of the western senators were ex-
tremely bitter in their condemnation OF
the compromise. They said they had beer
fooled. that the president had been fooled
and that the trick played on the consumer
was nothing short of bunco.
Finding that the westerners were no
amenable to argument some OF the senat,
{ leaders and some of the dissatisfied mem
+ bers hurried to the White House. Their,
all were informed that the president haC
not been fooled He was reported to hav,
told all his callers that he fully under
stood the character Of the compromise.
1t was declared by the conferees in de
fense Of their action, that the course pur
sued was necessary from a parliamentar,
standpoint. To have reduced all boots anC
shoes, they said, would have compelled tn,
resubmission Of the question to the house
In confining the reductions to article
manufactured from hides resubmission o
the paragraph was not necessary, for tn,
reason that the hide paragraph was II
controversy between the conferees with &
I 1F
Is per cent.
President Not Fooled.
, Senator Aldrich was among those VIII
called at the White House. When he re
turned to the capitol he issued a call TO
Il session Of the conferees. including tn
!. house republican members. They assemble,
\ at $40 m. The western senators wer
ushered into the conference chamber singI
or in pairs Audiences were given to Sena
. tors Hepburn, Warren, Carter, Sutherland
Brown, Borah and Bourne. Invitations ha
been issued to Senators Dixon. Burkett an
Clark of Wyoming, but they did not accep,
ID, Senator Aldrich and Representative Payn
= stated unequivocally that the language use
!, in adjusting the hide controversy was no
/ Joker" An effort was made to reac
A an understanding with the men from tn
e cattle raising states. They said that tn
s word had gone out over the west that fire
q hides had been given for cheaper shoe
3 and harness and that their constituent
IS would not be satisfied with any other bar
e gain.
Conferees Meet Again,
d Senators Brown and Borah both had lei
ST ters from the president bearing upon N
l. alleged ''joker." The senators read thes
Ie letters to the conferees. The letter I
IS Senator Borah was in response to one b
(Continued on second Pav.7