The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-07-29
GREAT REDUCTIONS WHICH THE
PRESIDENT WANTS WILL NOT
BE GRANTED.
ALDRICH SEEMS STILL IN POWER
Tariff Bill Will Pass Both Houses In
Some Shape, IT'S said.-Through
Aidrich's Cunning Measure First
Goes to Lower Body.

Washington, ID. C.-President Taft
wants thorough revision OF the
tariff, a revision that will reduce du
ties on manufactured products as well
as raw materials. He set a. rest the
doubts of the progressive" senators
and revision house members on this
point when through Senator Cummins
and five western members of the
house he sent word to congress that
his revision program is by no means
limited to the free raw materials
idea.
This was the greatest feature of
the day following the important White
House dinner of Wednesday night
The revision senators held a confer
ence with Senator Cummins after the
latter returned from the White House
and the majority of them admitted
that the president had fully met their
demands for downward revision in all
lines.
Yet none of them would admit yet
than he believed that the President
had any chance of winning in the fight
he has outlined. This does not mean
that the situation will be changed, or
that new opposition to the presidents
program has arisen. 1t means only
that while President Taft can win a
considerable victory in his fight for
free raw materials, which was sup
posed to be his program, he has but
small chance of winning the great
reductions which must be included in
the plan that is now credited to him.
Now that he mas taken the public
into his confidence and indicated that
his fight for reduction concerns every
schedule Of the bill in which excess
sive duties exist, it Is admitted that
he can hope TO get but a small vic
tory. The conferees are rapidly COM
pleting the bill, getting it into shape
for an early report, and giving it out
on every hand that the reductions are
practically all that the president asked
for.
Senator Cummins has given out a
long statement giving the presidents
views in favor of uniform reduction
of duties, and giving the revisionist
senator's views as to-what such a re-
duction ought to cover He laid spe-
cial stress upon the fact that the pro-
gram of free raw materials" upon
which the president has been working,
and which the conference committee
has taken pains to indicate was all the
president wanted, did not meet in any
particular the demands Of the revi-
sionists of the two houses.
There seems no doubt that the con-
ference committees report, whatever
it may contain, will be passed by both
houses. In the first place Mr.. Aldrich
played smooth parliamentary trick
just before the bill went to confer
ence, which will require the house to
act upon the conference report first.
The report will not be sent to the two
houses until the organization has the
votes to pass it. according to the pres
ent plans, and the betting is 16 to 1
that the report will be adopted in
each branch.
Last Hope Disappears.
The report win go to TIE house first.
And under the leadership of Cannon
and Dalzell that body will adopt a
rule effectually preventing debate or
investigation Of the report. 1t is con-
sidered certain that only the revolt Of
Chairman Payne or the open leader
ship of President Taft against the re-
port can prevent its being adopted in
the house. Whatever defects are
shown to exist after the conference
report the senate will make no differ
ence in the outcome, as the high tar
iff forces have plenty of votes to pass
the bill again in the senate and 1t will
already have been placed out of dan
ger by the house.
The attitude of Congressman Stev-
ems of st, Paul toward the tariff meas
ure at this time is especially signifi-
cant. Congressman Stevens returned
to Washington about ten days ago.
confident that the conference COM
mittee and the president would sue
coed in perfecting bill that would be
satisfactory to the country.
Mr.. Stevens yesterday expressed en-
tire displeasure with the results thus
far obtained and the prospects for a
satisfactory report from the confer
ence committee. He said that the con.
ference committee would apparently
listen to no arguments on schedules
in controversy, and that they were
giving no indication of acceeding to
the demands for satisfactory read
iustment of the rates now in dispute.
Two Drowned at EaulA [ axe