Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-23
NEAR To SETTLEMENT
Raw Materials the Only Block
to Conference Agreement.
GOOD PROGRESS MADE
Conclusions Practically Reached on
Many Items.
CARRYING OUT TAFT PROGRAM

Concessions on One Subject Con-
tingent on Demand Giving Way
on Another-Today's Meeting.
The Indications this afternoon were
very strong that the tariff conference
| committee would report In favor Of the
following rates on the articles which
| have been the cause Of SO much recent
controversy Coal, IS cents per ton,
Iron ore, Is cents; hides, per cent nd
valorem; lumber, 1925 per thou.a nd,
petroleum free. There will be more
opposition to the hide reduction than In
any other Of these adjustments.
The national issues of the tariff, as
the free raw material items have been
facetiously termed, today stood out as
the only dark cloud in an otherwise clear
tariff situation.
Altnough there are a number of other
important items which have not been set
tied finally by the tariff conferees, an
agreement with regard to them practi-
| caliy has been reached, and it was ex-
pected that most of them would be dis
posed of before the conference adjourned
tonight.
BY the process Of elimination the con-
ference committee had cleared away
nearly all changes in phraseology, all of
the administrative features except the
rawback and one or two internal reye-
nue. amendments, and nearly all of the
disputed paragraphs in the duitable and
free lists when it adjourned yesterday.
The only exceptions were coal, lumber,
iron ore, oil and hides. and the manufac-
lures of these raw materials, as we'll as
the cotton schedule. hosiery, gloves. wood
pulp and print paper and structural steel
punched for use.
Compromises on all of these measures,
except hides. coal. lumber, iron ore, re-
garding which the President has had
much to say. has been suggested and con-
sidered by both sides, with the prospect
of agreement today.
Concessions Contingent.
The five articles mentioned probably
will be the last to receive final considera-
ton. and 1t is said that they must be dis
posed of in conjunction with each other.
! In support Of the statement that none
of the national issues would be dis
posed of individually, it was said that
those conferees who have been holding
out for a duty on hides would make no
concessions until they learned what con-
cessions the members interested in lum-
Der or one of the other OF the five items
would be willing to make. BY this method
Of reaching final agreement it Is said
President Tafts program for reductions
all along the line will be carried out
AS a result Of the special meeting of
the House conferees yesterday for the
discussion of the cotton schedules that
matter was expected to be the first to be
disposed of when the conferees met to-
been determined to compromise the differ
ences between both sides on the cotton
schedule by allowing the Senate specific
rates to stand and cutting some of the
Senate ad valorem rates where they were
higher than the House rates.
The Senate'S increased rates on razors
were slightly reduced by an agreement
reached yesterday.
Arguing With conferees.
cided by the conferees have been reached
was emp hasized by the presence of a
large number Of representatives of inter-
ests who gathered about the members of
the conference committee as they arrived
at the Senate finance committees rooms
this morning. The proceedings were de-
layed half an hour by these representa-
tives of various interests.
Each of the Senate and House confer
ees was interviewed by committee rep
resenting the House tariff insurgents .
consisting of Representative Gaines CIV.
Va.), Mondell (Wyo) and Kennedy (Ohio).
The members of this committee took es-
pecial pains to inform Mr.. Aldrich of their
desires and of the situation in the House.
Asked whether they would vote against
conference report which did not grant
their requests, Mr.. Gaines said: I'VE are
particularly avoiding that question. We
are not making any threats"
Senator Bradley. who has prepared a
now tobacco tax amendment intended to
exempt the farmer from the cents inter-
nal revenue duty on tobacco in the hand,
was on hand to explain his new PROPOSE
he had made changes merely In the
| phraseology of his original proposition
| and that the new wording had been ap-
proved by Mr.. Wheeler, acting commits
sioner OF internal revenue.
Employment Of Experts.
H. E. Miles of Racine. Wis, chairman
of the tariff board of the National Manu-
facturers Association, interviewed the
conferees in an effort to enlist their sup
port for the Senate provision authorizing
the President to employ tariff experts
The House conferees have been unalter-
ably opposed to any form Of tariff COM
mission and they have held out firmly
| against the adoption Of the Senate provi-
| sion.
The Senate amendment empowers the
| President to employ such persons as may
be required ito secure information to as
sist the President in the discharge of the
| duties imposed upon him (by the maxi
mum and minimus section OF the billy and
information, which will be useful to Con-
gress in tariff legislation" 1t is reported
that the House conferees are willing to
accept the amendment il the words and
information. which will be useful to Con-
gressin tariflegislation," are omitted. This
| omission would remove the objections of
the House conferees that the Senate
amendment provides for the appointment
of commission and at the same time
would permit the President to employ
such persons as he desires to assist him
In administering the tariff laws.
Progress and Good Feeling.
Progress. accompanied by good feel
ing, marked today's session of the con-
ference committee and indicated that
the conferees have come down to brass
tacks" in the hope of reaching an early
| agreement. Leaders of both sides were
optimistic regarding the time when a
| report can be brought in.
The conferees occupied a good deal of
time this morning with the cotton
schedule, but laid 1t aside temporarily
to take up other subjects. Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury Reynolds
was called to the conference room In
connection with this schedule