The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-24
CONFUSION IS CREATED
 AMONG THE LOBBYISTS
When Conferees Declare an Executive Session the Representatives of Special Interests vainIy Try
 To Learn Some News.


 agreement was reached by the tariff conferees today on coal, lumber, hides oil, iron ore. the cotton schedule, or wood pulp, and print paper, it was said tonight by the conferees after ad- 5ournment for the day that the pros- poets of settling these big questions to- morrow were excellent
 For time today 1t appeared that these so-called "national' issues might be dis posed or by the conferees before the end or the days session. However, when adjournment was taken at p. m. until tomorrow morning, 1t was learned that the matters under discussion were still at issue
 Should the conference complete it's work tomorrow 1t would be impossible to report it before Tuesday, as the House. which agreed to the conference on the tariff bill and under the rules, must receive 1t before the Senate adjourned today until Tuesday.
 Heroic measures were put into opera tion today in an effort to compromise dif- ferences existing between the Senate and House on the tarir bill and to carry out President Taft's programme for a reduc- ton of duties on raw materials.
 Executive Session.
 All except the actual conferees were excluded from the chamber and it was agreed that discussion leading up to a settlement of any of the subjects familiar ly termed national issues' should be regarded as confidential All of the con ferees said that the feelings entertained for each other were more pleasant than | l,A
 When Arthur B. Shelton, clerk of the finance committee, and William J. Payne, clerk of the House ways and means com- mittee, were excused from the confer- ence, 1t was understood that votes would be taken upon all the subjects in dis pute before adjournment for the day.
 As the question of hides is giving the committee more trouble than any of the subjects that have claimed the attention of the President is was discussed first. The discussion had not proceeded far before 1t was developed that the differ ences .,etween the two houses were al- most irreconcilable unless boots and shoes and other leather goods should be greatly reduced If hides were to go on the free list.
 Protest from the West.
 Senator Aldrich has reports from many westerners protesting against the removal of duty on hides or reduction below 10 per cent ad valorem. The only terms on which the western senators would consent to consider the abolition of tho duty involved the removal of the duty on leather goods. It is understood that the Rhode Island senator said that there was no use in reporting to the Senate something that stood no chance of adap- tion and that the hides interests and the shoe interests mus get together, and make concessions If an agreement was to be reached The discussion then con tinued on the amount of reductions the leather trade could stand without serious injury. On this subject variety of opinions were expressed, many of which appeared to some of the couferees to be inconsistent considering the relations sole leather bears to boots and Shoes and that harness bears to finished shoes and parts of shoes. Soon 1t was developed that the conferees would have to confer with associates not on the conference commit tee and therefore an adjournment was taken until 10 o'clock tomorrow. The strict executive sessions inaugurated to- day will be resumed tomorrow.
 AIdrich Consulted.
 After adjournment Senators Lodge and Crane and Representative Mccall of Massachusetts held a long consultation with Senator Aldrich. It Is not known what understanding, if any, was reached, but it would surprise very few people out side of the conference chamber if an agreement is reached tomorrow, substan- tially reducing the duties on hides and all leather goods. After the duty has been fixed on hides and leather little difficulty Is apprehend- ed in reaching an agreement to put oil on the free list and in compromising upon a duty of about 45 cents a ton on coal, a rate of S1 .25 per 1000 feet on rough lumber, with proportionate differentials and a rate of about 8 a ton on print paper. Iron ore is expected to give more trouble than any of these subjects except hides Many senators thought little objection would be made to placing iron ore on the free list and this question was gen orally regarded as good as settled. Sen ator Burrows is making stubborn fight for the retention of the Senate rate of 9 cents ton on iron ore, and he is said | to be confident thai he will prevent the abolition of the duty.
 It is difficult to predict, whether the 1 Senate rate will remain. whether the ore | will be made free, or whether rate will | be fixed in the vicinity of 10 cents a | ton.
 Confusion Confounded.
 The news that the conferees had ex- cluded the clerks of the committees and | were trying to reach a decision, was | not long in reaching lobbyists in the cor l ridor From that moment everything was | confusion. The representatives of special | interests used, without success, every sort | of artful dodge, to learn something of the | nature of the proceedings. Several times | the voices of the conferees sounded | through the walls at high pitch that | Indicated anything but harmony and this | added to the excitement If there was | >---~~------ ----.-> ~ -~~->--
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