The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-22
In Spite Of the Good Will Of
Their Host Nothing Is Done
With the Tariff Bill
DIFFERENCES CANNOT
Be OVERCOME At ONCE
Fact creeps Out At the Dinner That
Tariff Making Is Mere Trading
and Shrewdest Man viii Get
Best of the Argument.


Washington, July 21.-The White House
dinner and conference. at which the tariff
vsers We're brought together tonight in
the effort to settle differences regarding
the tariff BILL ended at 11:30 o'clock with
the dispute over raw materials no nearer
adjustment than they were before the
dinner Invitations were issued.
Only one question was determined be-
yond appeal and that was that the con
ferees will have to settle their own diff
ferences. Pains were taken. however to
convey the impression that this decision
is not indicative of any absence of appre-
citation of the Presidents efforts. It mere
ly confirmed what the elder statesmen"
had asserted from the frst-that tariff
making is trading and the shrewdest
dealer and the strongest section is bound
to get the best of the argument That
this truism is responsible for the insurgent
movement does not alter the situation
Briefly stated the representatives of the
House and Senate practically admitted
that they were unable to forecast the
outcome. Senator Aldrcn spoke for the
Senate and Speaker Cannon and Repre-
sentative Dwight (the republican whip
for the House.
Mr. Dwight spoke of the insurgent
movement organized by the "anti-free raw
material fraction in the House, but he
was not ready to estimate the strength
of this element
Payne's Opinion.
Representative Payne expressed the
opinion that conference report. carrying
free iron ore, coal, hides and oil. could
be adopted in the House, but ne said he
had not canvassed the situation.
Senator Aldrch was very positive In
the opinion that such report would fail
in the Senate. but he thought there could
be reducation made in the Senate rates
with perhaps iron ore and oil transferred
to the free list, without endangering its
adoption.
Apparently the President realized that
the time had not yet arrived to call for
a decision on the subject of raw materials.
1t Is stated that he did not press the
representatives of either House or Senate
for more definite statements of the situ-
alton in the respective branches of Con-
gress.
The customs court and the corporation
tax amendments were discussed at length.
Most Of those present agreed with Presi-
dent Taft that the customs court should
be situated In Washington since 1t is to be
a court of appeals whose decisions will be
final. Senator Hale favored New York.
Attorney General Wickersham and Sem
ator Root. who drew the customs court
amendment. favored Washington.
Some of the conferees said after the
dinner that no conference report would
be signed until both houses had been
canvassed as to the probability of its be-
ing adopted. No one can say how much
this will delay adjournment
Memorable Dinner.
President Taft's dinner will be written
down In history as one of the most sig
nihcant events of a purely political bear
ing that has ever transpired at the White
House.
The dinner was served on the western
terrace or roof of the low-lying structure
which connects the White House proper .
with the executive offices
The President has grown fond of dining
out OF doors these warm washington
nights. and the surroundings of the ter
race are unusually attractive. The long
table about which the warning conferees
gathered tonight as guests of the chief ex-
executive was set In a miniature grove OF
bay trees. with great boxes of geraniums
and other growing plants surmounting the
sidewalks. which extend two or three
feet above the level of the roof and make
a garden Enclosure of the terrace
The President sat at the head of the
long table, and altogether there were 10
diners about the table.
Tn, n
ferees to dinner the President followed
the custom at the capital of including
within that term only the republican men,
bers OF the conference committee. All Of
these were present with the exception of
Senator Cullom of Illinois, who is de-
tanned at Atlantic City because of the
serious illness OF his wife. From the Sem
ate came Messrs. Aldrich, Hale, Bur
rows and Penrose. From the House were
Messrs. Payne. Dalzell. Mccall. Boutell
Calderhead and Fordney.
Invited Guests.
To meet with the conferees the Presi-
dent had invited Vice President Sherman,
Secretary of the Treasury Macevagh, At
torney General Wickersham, Speaker
Senator Crane.A Senator Root
and Representative Dwight of New York.
republican whip of the House. These
are the men with whom the President has
the tariff. and II was felt that II some
ga tisfactory working arrangement could
not be made as a result Of the confer
ence the hope OF an early solution of the
tariff tang1e would be remote indeed
The conferees worked diligently
the day to prepare a pro-
sramme for discussion with the Presi-
dent and his advisers today They
started of at the morning session with
the flve big propositions which have
caused the greatest worry, and to dis
pose of which the Presidents aid has
been invoked. These f1ve problems are
the proposed placing on the free list
of hides, iron ore. oil and coal and
material reduction in the rate of duty
on lumber.
Each of these proposals Is surround
ed by its own peculiar difficulties, but
the question Of free hides has been the
hardest with which the President and