Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-30
TAFT DISCUSSES
TARIFF MEASURE
PRESIDENT IN CONFERENCE
AT WHITE HOUSE
FAvoRs REDUCTION ON NEcEs-
Sites OF LIFE
Impression Created by Revelations In
Congress Are Declared to Be
pispleasing to the
President

fBy Associated Press.I

fBy Associated Press.l
WASHINGTON, March 29-Presi-
dent Taft talked tariff today with SEN
ator Hale, Representatives Dalzell Oh
Pennsylvania and tIlnshaW OF Ne
braska and John Barrett, director Oh
the bureau of American republics:
1t is said the president IS letting 1t
he understood that he strongly faVors
a reduction of the tariff on all OF the
necessities of life.
The Payne bill repeatedly mas peeh
attacked in the house debate as I'M
posing too heavy burden upon tne
poor and as favoring the r1cher
classes ~
The impression created by such talk
has not been. gratifying to the admin
istration.
The president has no information in
support of such a charge.
President Taft is known to be
strongly opposed to the proposed tax
on tea. 1t is stated that this tax
would Weld about $S,000000 annually
The president believes this amount
could be made up by an excise tax
on the dividends of corporate or by
some method of stamp taxation.
He does not believe the burden OF
raising this additional $S,000,000 should
be placed upon the rank and file OF
consumers
The president is also said to believe
that the ways and means committee
of the house will not insist upon the
countervailing duty proposed on coftee'
Hold Daily Sessions
Objection was made in the senate
TODAY by statement by Mr.. Hale
that the finance committee was hoid-
ing daily sessions on the tariff Dill.
The criticism came from Senator Ba-
con. who referred to the fact that the
Democratic members of the committee
were excluded.
"Perhaps | should have said sub
committee explained Mr.. Hale.
us it not usual to give the minority
representation ON supcomhlttees!
asked MIR. Bacon.
mot on tariff matters" replied Mr..
Hale, which rejoinder provoked gem
eral laughter.
Mr.. Hale said what was being done
now by the Republican senators was
only customary and THAI the Demo-
Gratis a number of years ago had re-
sorted to the same practice. Senators
Money. Culberson ands Newlands pro-
tested against the exclusion of the
minority.
Joining with the Democrats in their
protests against the manner in Whlcn
the tariff bill is being MANAGED, Sen
ator Elkins,. Republican, of West Flr-
ginia declared himself and his state
to be of the south, the interests of
which he said were being 'crucified.
He declared he had been unable to
get a hearing unless he would agree
to come in under the yoke.
Democrats Ignored
Mr.. Elkins referred to the fact that
the Democrats in the house had had
no opportunity to criticise the tariff
bill before it was reported.
Exception was taken by Mr.. Gore,
Ia the
Democrats had been given fourteen
minutes in which to examine the bill
before voting on it in committee.
Continuing his remarks, Mr.. Elkins
made no secret of the fact that he was
disappointed at not getting on the
finance committee but he said he
wanted to get on so as TO protest
against the continuance of high duties
for New England and low duties for
the mixed products of the south.
In an exceedingly facetious burst OF
elouuence Mr.. Elkins drilled the New
England domination" of the senate:
Speaking of the appointments of
Messrs Lodge, McCumber, Smoot and
Flint as new members of the finance
committee, Mr. Elkins said they had
been chosen of sections as far away
from the source as possible. Speaking
caustically of the influence of the New
England senators in the senate, Mr..
that the same influence was main-
tanned in the finance committee.
Taft Will Not Dictate
President Taft, it is said. intends to
leave all legislative matters to congress
and does not intend to dictate to that
body what it shall do. At the same
time he takes advantage of the calls by
senators and representatives to state
in response to their requests for sug-
gestions his own position.
President Taft, it is said, believes the
system of taxation to be adopted to
meet the growing deficiency in the
treasury should be calculated to cause
that he strongly favors the inher-
itance tax.
President Taft has let it be known
that he approves the Payne bill in
principle, and that he believes more
schedules in the Dingley tariff should
be revised downward than upward if
any should go forward at all.
John Barrett presented to the presi-
dent today his views as to the effect of
the proposed new tariff bill on the ex-
port trade of the United States with
Latin America. His interview had
especial reference to the proposed coun-
tervailing duty on coffee
He said the imposition of this tariff
and a further tariff on the raw products
of South America that were not pro-
ducts in this country would mullify all
efforts to build up trade with the
southern republics.
Brazil it is declared, with an annual
foreign commerce valued at 100000, 600,
feels that the new tariff bill strikes a
vital Dl0W at her OrOSOpTitV