The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-08-03
RANGE SENATORS
HAVE FOUND
A JOKER"
Action on Tariff Bill Encounters
Sharp Setback.
RATE ON SHOES THE CAUSE
President Taft Says There Is No De-
ception and that Bill Carries Out
Party Pledges

Washington, Aug 9.-Tariff legisla-
ton has been delayed again by the
hide and leather question, and as re-
suit the conferees were called togeth-
er once more yesterday.
The westerners complained that the
leather schedule as arranged by the
conferees, with the approval of the
president, is unfair TO the states in
terested in protected hides and it was
apparent that some action must be Ia
ken to conciliate them ii the confer
ees report is to be adopted.
Senator Aldrich and his associates
were not long in learning that the
charge that there was Joker" in the
compromised hide and leather ques-
ton had upset the comfortable major
ity they had previously counted for
the adoption of the report.
The difficulty appeared to be lack
of understanding between the confer
ees, the president and the western
senator's concerning the condition un-
der which the latter consented to
hides being placed on the free list.
The westerners claimed they had
been led 10 believe that all boots and
shoes of leather were to be dutldble AT
10 per cent and all harness at 20 Ter
cent When the conference rerort
was issued it appeared that the re-
auctions applied only to articles man
ufactured in chief part of the class oil
hides which we're To he made free oil
duty. The reductions would not apply
to shoes, the uppers of which were
made of calf-skin or to harness the
chief value of which was calf-slun
Some of the western senator's said
they had been fooled, the PRESIDENT
had been fooled. and that the trick
,ay I'd On the consumer was nothlnT
short Of buncombe Finding that The
westerners were not amendable to ar
gument, some of the Senate leaders
and other dissatisfied members hur
ried to the White House. There al
were informed that tne president had
not been fooled. He was reported &c
have told all of his callers that he full
ly understood the character of the
compromise.
Senators Brown and Borah both had
long letters from the president bear
ing upon the alleged Joker. The
senators read these letters to the con
ferees. The president asserted in the
letter TO Senator Borah that the leatn'
er and hide schedule as adopted by
the conferees, was just as he had un'
derstood it. He argued that farmers
wear shoes made of the kind of hides
that pay the low duty and practically
all harness is made from dutiable lea
taer and tariff would be reduced to ~
per cent ad valorem
In the Brown letter the president is
said to have added a rather sharp crl-
ticism of Legislators constantly md
ing jokers" Appeals were made TO
both senators to support the confer
ence report.
The contention of the range SEN
ators Is that the president is in error
both as to the hides from which far
mars shoes are made and concerning
harness. After the westerners had de
parted the conferees discussed ways
and means of meeting the situation
1t was practical conceded that III
order to insure the passage OF the re
port by a safe margin the law rates
on boots and shoes and harness would
have to be applied to calf skin produc
ers as we'll as to leather from a class
of hides that are now dutiable oul
which are made free by the confer
ence report.
No program has been reached posi-
lively as to how this result shall be
accomplished.