The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1909-07-30
QUARREL OVER HIDES
WILL BE FREE IF SHOES ARE RE.
DUCED BELOW THE HOUSE
RATES.
SESSION DRAGGING HOPELESSLY
Two Houses HopeIessly at Variance
and Concessions are LikeIy-AId-
rich Takes Firm Stand, Advo-
eating a Middle Ground.

Washington City.-Hides will be
put on the free list if boots and shoes
and other manufactures of leather are
reduced below the rates fixed by the
house bill. Unless the advocates of
free hides are able to carry out this
bargain the whole program is to be
called off.
A decision to this effect was reach
ed by the tariff conferees.
Senator Aldrich has informed sena-
tors from northwestern states that he
will not consent to the abolition of
the duty on hides unless there is a
material change in the rates on boots
and shoes and other leather goods
In no other way, he said, can he get
the votes necessary for the adoption
OF the report in the senate If it car
ries free hides.
Senators from cattle raising states
have insisted that the only way con-
sumers can get any benefits from the
removal of the protection on hides
will be by corresponding reductions
in the duties on boots and shoes and
harness. The Rhode Island senator's
views coincide with his statement.
Weesterners Will Compromise.
Senator Warren said that the west
ern senators would not be represent
ing their states if they were to con-
sent to the abolition of the duty on
hides in the interest of the manufac-
turers of shoes and other leather
goods, unless manufacturers in New
England and other eastern states are
compelled to concede lower rates on
leather products. While the western
senators take the position that the re-
moval of the duty on hides will be in
furious to the cattle business, some
of them say they will withdraw their
protests because of the insistence of
President Taft, if reductions are made
all along the line in the leather SEIZED
ule.
The program on which the confer
ees are working is as follows:
Hides free, as provided by the
house, against the senate rate of 10
per cent ad ValOrem.
Sole leather, five per cent, the same
as in the house bill, as against the
senate rate of Is per cent.
Dressed upper leather, seven and a
half per cent, as against Is per cent
in both the house and senate bills.
Boots and shoes, 10 per cent, as
against 15 per cent in the house bill,
and 20 per cent in the senate bill.
Saddlery and harness, 20 per cent,
as against 35 per cent in the house
bill and 40 per cent in the senate bill.
Concessions Necessary.
Senators who were entrusted with
the task of canvassing the senate, re-
ported that it would be impossible to
adopt report providing for free
hides. These senators conferred with
some of the house leaders and were
informed that under present condi-
lions it is just as impossible to pass
a report through the house without
free hides. This information was
communicated to the conferees and
convinced them that it would be fu-
tile to spend any more time trying to
reach an agreement unless conces-
sions were made to cattle interests in
the form of reduction on leather
According to the leaders the plan is
to complete the conference report be-
fore presenting a rule to the house
providing for the reduction of the
shoe and leather duties below the
house rates. 1t is said that the con-
ference report will be submitted to
the house on the same day that the
rule is adopted, in order that the &C
ton of the house shall not result in
pressure being brought to bear upon
the conferees by those interested in
the leather schedule.
1t is also desired that Representa-
tive Payne shall have ample opportu.
nifty to prepare an exhaustive state
ment which will be presented to the
house with the conference report.