The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-07-16

make money producing iron ore if it Is
put on the free list
That was his reply TO Young, and
then Mondell spoke up with a plea for
a duty ION hides as high as possible.
The President heard him, and said in
reply;
. There is lot of talk about in
dustTies being discouraged by pldCjEg
raw materials on the free list. Apply
this talk to hides. Us there anyone
present who believes that the placing
Of hides on the free list will discoura Sc
the farmer from raising cattle, OF that
81 viii reduce the number of those en-
gagged ia the business
ITO this there was absolutely no re-
ply at all NondeN said nothing, and
most of as present looked out of the
window at the grass and trees of the
White House grounds
Coal, Iron, and Steel
''BarchfeId OF Pennsylvania was there
20 ask for duties On coal and iron ore,
and 20 this the President save ii as his
opinion that mere tariff changes could
not move the geographical center Of
such industries as coal end iron and
steel. and therefore fittsnurg was safe
in the pre-eminence which she now
holds
''Barchheld replied that Pittsburg
would lose her prestige and that the
ports of the Atlantic saabGard would
usurp it, To this the President would
not agree
woodward made this argument:
The House. as q whole, Mr., Presi-
dent. has never been given a chance to
pass on the question, OF raw materials.
The raw material sentiment is apparent
there only through some Democratic
votes
" Oh replied the President quick as
a fash I would be glad enough TO leave
that matter TO the House.
woodward thought moment, and
said:
If you leave it to the Republicans
OF the House, Mr., President they Will
vote for duties on raw materials Would
you BE- willing TO leave 1t Just TO the
Republicans
at that, the President laughed again.
and would not agree 10 Woodyard's sug-
geston.
Arguments Of South.
"The Representatives from the South
argued with great force that they had
won their way to Congress by promises
that the Republican party would pro-
teCt the raw materials of that section.
and that. If this was not done. the
whole South would be driven back into
the Democratic party Tor all eternity.
This argument. however. in face Of the
Presidents answers, seemed 10 have a
hole in II, and lost its force
Others argued that. while the Repub-
lican platform promised downward re-
vision, this pledge did not involve put
ting anything at all on the free list
They set forth in many hOneyed and
sugar-coated phrases that the President
could observe his campaign promises
without going to the extent of botAerins
about free list.
IT was Al this point that the Presi-
dent let the crowd understand that he
was in favor of the abolition of protec-
ton in all cases where protection was
not absolutely necessary for the welfare
OF the country
This narrative is significant aad
dramatic enough to show the hopeless
ness of the fight TO defeat the cause of
free raw materials. The epilOgue 10 the
interview was almost amusing in the
depression Of those who had talked
with the President, a depression which
was not SO great, however, az was the
eXultation Of the downward revisionists
OF both the House and the Senate when
they heard the story.
Some Amusement.
Another amusing thing about it was
the indignation OF some Of the deIega-
LlUA DENdAet LDu-AH Oh -4ltAli dAl maui
such long speech IN his protest against
free iron ore They were inclined 20
think he had not left the other interests
time enough TO express their views,
This, however, seemed unnecessary, as
the President had telling answers 10
every argument that was advanced.
And the net result of the whole thing
is that lot of people IN this man S
town are at last persuaded that. If the
President is to sign the gill, a Tot of the
rates viii have 10 be put on the tObOg-
gan and sent lower. Some OF them viii
have 10 &c TO the bottom and land on
that particular spot known as the free
list"