The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-18
President Taft vii Win His Fight for
Free or Reduced Duty on Raw Materials
Great Triumph for the Administration Is Admitted Regarding Iron Ore
OIL Hides Coal and Lumber There Is Change of Sentiment

WASHINGTON. July 1T.-President
Taft will win his fight for free or re-
duced rates of duty on raw materials
Nearly every member of the conference
on the tariff bill conceded this today
The indica tions are that when the new
tariff bill becomes a law the rates on
the articles which the president desired
to come in free will be as follows:
Iran ere, free present rate 40 cents per
Oil, free enow protected By esunssrvAiliAs
duty.
Hides, IA per cent as valOrem present rate
Coal, As cents peg ten present rate 81
cents).
Lumber, probably Sl.as on rough, with sen
ate rates on finished. This would be q ma
teriAl reduction throughout the lumber
schedule.
When the conferees transferred to
the presidents shoulders the response
bility of putting the foregoing raw ma
terials on the free list, il was not be-
Iieved he would meet with success in
bringing about changed sentiment in
relation TO these articles.
TRIUMPH FOR ADMINISTRATION
For several days, however. members
VI CUIAEGhh nave DcCn bOlhb " Tic
White House and not a few OF them
came away convinced that the presi-
dent was right in insisting on lower
duties. 1t was also acknowledged that
any reduction in rates of the pending
bill on these articles would amount to
an administration triumph.
In effect the president was told by
the conferees that il iron ore, oil, coal,
hides or lumber were put on the free
list. or the rates reduced below the
figures adopted by the senate. he would
have TO get the votes
1t was recognized that ii would be
impossible to put hides. lumber and coal
on the free list If the conference report
was TO be adopted by the senate. Meth
or was it believed rates on these arti-
cles could be reduced.
CHANGE OF SENTIMENT
That change of sentiment had taken
place in the senate in the matter OF
free iron ore, and free oil was a matter
of common gossip about the capitol
today 1t was stated just as confidently
that the Is per cent ad valorem rate on
hides would have to be cut IN half, al
though some opponents to the PROPOSE
ton Of putting hides on the free list
are still hopeful of retaining rate as
high as 10 per cent
Coal at IS cents a ton. IT was de-
clared would prove satisfactory to
every section except Wyoming. which
fears that the industry in that state
might be ruined by cheap Canadian
coal.
PHILIPPINES FREE TRADE
President Taft will win another de-
cided victory in the Philippines free
trade proposition. The subcommittee
which has been considering this sec
tion has decided to permit the free
admission of $4,000, 900 cigars annu-
ally, as requested by the president, in
stead OF 10000. 900. as would be adj
mitted under a senate amendment
adopted at the instance of La Toilette.
1t is expected that the Philippines sec
ton. as approved by the subcommittee.
viii be adopted by the conferees Mon
day. It provides for the free admis-
sion of 100000 pounds of wrapper to-
bacco and 100000 pounds of filler to-
bacco and 100000 tons Of sugar.
With the exception of rice and the
limitation placed upon tobacco and
sugar, all articles 1.-THE growth. prod
uct or manufacture of the Philippine
islands, will be admitted free
As originally adopted by the house
and later introduced in the senate the
philippine section contained provision
requiring that manufactured articles
in order to obtain the benefit of the
free admission into the United States,
should not contain ingredients other
than products of the islands.
PANAMA CANAL BONDS
BY action taken today the tariff con-
ferees settled the question of giving
the secretary of the treasury authority
TO issue so year bonds at a rate Of
interest not exceeding per cent to
cover the entire cost OF purchasing the
site and constructing the Panama
canal.
The effect OF the bond publication
is to repeal the limit of the authorize
ton contained in the Spooner act, al
though not interfering with 2 per cent
bonds issued under that authority to
the amount Of sS4,e3I,9S0 The esti-
mated cost OF the canal is 1875 ,20I. 000
which will be the figures named IN
the new authorization and bonds at
the rates of , per cent. may be issued
as they are needed, therefore, to the
amount of $29O,5ee,02O
CORPORATION TAX
There is no longer any question that
the corporation tax amendment will
be accepted. 1t will tax the net earn
ings of corporations organized for
profit at the rate OF 1 per cent.