Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-18
Material Reductions to Be Made in
Lumber and Coal.
WHITE HOUSE IN THE SADDLE
Philippine Tariff Also to Be Modified
Considerably.
SENTIMENT IS MUCH CHANGED
Presidents Clear Cut Statement
Proves Hard Blow to standpat
Element in Both Houses
of Congress.

WAShlRGTON, July lt-BTesldent Iait
will win his fight for free, or reduced rates
Of duty on, raw materials.
Nearly every member Of the conference
on the tariff bill conceded this today The
indications are that when the new tariff
oil becomes a law the rates on the articles
which the president desired to come in free
will be as follows:
Iron ore, free; present duty, 40 cents a
ton.
Hides IN per cent; present rate Is per
cent.
Coal As cents a ton; present rate. 81
Lumber, probably N.25 a thousand for
product. This WOULD mean a material re-
auction throughout the lumber schedule
Taft COnvinces Them.
When the conferees transferred to the
presidents shoulders the responsibility of
putting the foregoing raw materials on the
free list It was not believed he would meet
with much success in bringing about
changed sentiment In relation to these
articles. For several days, however, mem
bers Of congress have been going to the
White House, and not a few of them came
away convinced that the president was
right In insisting that all of these articles
could stand lower duties.
1t was not believed he would be able to
put hides lumber or coal on the free list,
but IL was acknowledged that any reduo-
tlon in rates OF the pending bill on these
articles would amount to an administra-
tlon 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 in the senate he would
have 10 get the votes"
II racognized that would he in1-
possible to put hides. lumber and coal on
the free list II the conference report was
to be adopted by the senate. Neither was
It believed rates on these articles could be
reduced.
Much CnBnRe of Sentiment.
That change of sentiment had taken
place ir the senate in the matter of free
iron ore and free oil was a matter of COM
mon gossip about the capitol today. 1t
was stated just as confidently that the IS
per cent ad Nalorem rate on hides would
have to be cut in half, although some
opponents to the proposition of putting
hides on the free list are still hopeful Of
retaining a rate as high as 10 per cent
Coal at As cents ton. 1t was declared,
would prove satisfactory to every section
except Wyoming, which fears that the in
dustry in that state might be ruined by
now building from northwestern states to
Canada, which viii tap the Canadian coal
fields Senator Clark and Representative
Mondel of Wyoming are protesting against
any reduction from the present rate of 81
cents a ton, IN spite of the fact that the
senate adopted a 6o-cent rate.
It is understood that the accent rate II
adopted, will provide for change in the
existing rate of 15 cents a ton on slack,
but that the Elkns amendment providing
that this rate shall apply only to natural
slack, shipped az such at the mines, will
be accepted.
Taft Wins for Philippines.
President Taft will win another decided
victory In the Philippine free trade pro-
vision. The subcommittee. which has been
considering this section, has decided to
permit the free admission Of $50, 900 CT
gars annually as requested by the presi-
dent, instead of 70, 100000 as would be ad-
mitted under the senate amendment,
adopted at the instance Of Mr.. La Toilette.
1t is expected that the Philippine section,
approved by the subcommittee, will be
adopted by the conferees Monday. 1t pro-
vides for the free admission OF 10000
pounds Of wrapper tobacco. 1900 900 pounds
Of filler tobacco and 800 900 tons of sugar.
With the exception of rice and the limi-
articles the growth. product, or manu-
facture of the Philippine islands" will be
admitted free.
The inclusion OF the words "or manufac-
ture" Is the subject OF criticism in many
quarters. Many members of congress think
they would make II possible to ship raw
materials into the Philippine islands for
manufacture with cheap labor, and then
bring them TO the United States free OF
I,,fN A. al ad nv ba
and later introduced in the senate. the
Philippine section contained a provision
requiring that manufactured articles. In
order to obtain the benefit OF the free ad-
mission into the United States should not
contain ingredients other than products OF
the islands.
Bond Issue Authorized.
BY action taken today the tariff eonferees
settled the question OF giving the secretary
OF the treasury authority to issue fifty
year bonds at a rate of interest not exceed
ing 8 per cent, TO cover the entire cost OF
purchasing the site and constructing the
Panama canal An amendment to the tar
III bill giving the authority was prepared
by Secretary McVeagh. and delivered &c
Representative Payne at the Treasury de-
Rartment during the noon recess. 1t was
adopted when the conference was resumed
after luncheon.
The effect OF the bond provision Is 70
repeal the limit OF the authorization, con
tained in the spoOner act although not in
terferins with the per cent bonds issued
under that authority 10 the amount OF
SSaSsl.s $50. The estimated cost OF the canal
Is Ss7b 81. 900. which will be the figures
named in the authorization and bonds at
the rate Of per cent may be issued as they
are needed therefore, to the amount OF
05e9. 02o,
Il is uE, crs,u, q that bonds to the amount
OF fifty idnUl covering the cost Of the
fifty millions covering the cost OF the