New-York tribune., 1909-08-08
Constant Reader Tells Him
What He Missed in Last
Weeks Papers.

Now that the tariff bin has been passed" safe
Busy Man, when he met Constant Reader last
night Il expect our weekly chats will be shorter.
But would like 10 hear from you more OF the
detaiis Of the final struggle the measure than
have had time 10 read about"
The President" replied Constant Reader signed
the bin about O'Clock Thursday evening
and then the hrst session ot the 6lst Congress
adjourned without day. The House adopted the
conference report by vote Of ls5 lSS. The Sen
ate adopted il by "A vote Of 81 10 81. seven Repub-
licans voting against the bill follows: La Fol-
lette, Beveridge. Cummins Dolliver Nelson. Clapp
and BristOw. Immediately thereafter the Senate
adopted resolution reducing the duties
the products Of leather, action in which the
House cOncurred."
why was hat necessary" asked Busy Man
in some surprise.
when the bin emerged from the conference COM
mittee il was discovered TO he ambiguously worded
regarding boots, shoes and other manufactures OF
heather. There two provisions for duties on
shoes I'm the bill Following the paragraph which
puts hides the free list is another which reads;
That boots and shoes, the upper leather Of which
Is made wholly in chief value from such hides.
shall pay a duty OF 10 per centum ad va!orem. a
separate provision makes all other shoes made OF
leather dutiable al Is per cent
The Senator. from The cattle states, after they
had discovered this state OF affairs. declared that
practically all shoes imported would be subject 10
the Is per cent rate. They pointed out that when
the Dngley law placed a duty Of 10 per cent on
hides OF cattle, Uncured the question arose
what was a cattle hide II was determined by the
appraisers that hide weighed twenty-five pounds
more, and under twenty-five pounds il IS a
skin and came under different classification.
They asserted that tons OF shoes were made gen
orally from these skins and that feW If any
shoes with tops made from the larger hides were
used in the United States.
Senator Aldrich protested that this view was
wrong, and even Ar. Taft declared he could see no
Joker. the insurgents declared it TO be- in the
clause"
'Ano ! thought our President had keen sense OF
humor," commented Busy Man.
Anyhow" continued Constant Reader ''Aldrch
yielded and a corrective resolution went through
which makes il certain that the low leather rates
shall go into effect October J. The maximum and
minimum provision becomes effective on March 81
1910: the Philippine sugar and tobacco sections on
August 8; the corporation al once FIRST payment
10 be MADE on June 80. 1910 and s. ton
on pleasure yachts on September l. The main
body Of the law went into effect at midnight on
August 3 thereby bringing keen disappointment 10
q number Of importers who had goods on ships ap-
proaching American ports at the moment President
Taft signed The bill The Hamburg American liner
Pennsylvania alone brought cargo on which the
new tarin vii. increase tEr.dGtes 90 the extent OF
$4,000 but the Custom ioaS- re closed promptly
the usual hour, aud the GOODS had 10 be entered
neKt day"
III seems picayune IN great nation 10 mulci
these particular importers heavily for the sake
OF Few hours lateness said Busy Man.
There S. another side 20 q, however" replied
Constant Reader. do you suppose IL these same
importers had goods In the bonded warehouses on
Thursday which the tariff lowers ihe duty
they would take them out OF bond and pay the
higher duties before the President could sign The
bnyr
How di Air TAFT reconcile himself TO signing
a bin which did fully carry out the pre-election
promises Of his party?'' asked Busy Man, hastily
changing the subject.
He gave out statement frankly declaring: I
have signed the Payne tariff bin because believe
., 30 be the result q a sincere effort the part
@! lhe Republican party 20 make downward re-
vision and 10 comply with the promises OF the
x.arsorgn as they have been generally understood.