The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1909-07-30
Report Is Signed By
Republicans and
Goes to House
SENDS ULTIMATUM
President Has Views Upon Several
Subjects and Notifies Leaders That
Lumber, Leather and Hosiery Rates.
Must Be Changed If Bill Is to Re-
ceiye His Approval.
July Q

AO L dyuO-A1UAACA CtSAAn
W bill is completed. An agree
ment on all disputed points was
reached this afternoon and at 4 :55
p. m. the report was signed by .the
Republican conferess. 1t will go
to the house tomorrow and be vot-
ed on by that body Saturday. The
senate will on Monday begin con-
sideration of the measure. The
senate session may consume all of
next week.
Halted by the mandate of President
Taft the tariff conferees were COM
PEELED to turn back and revise their
rates on lumber and gloves. Hides
will be free and the duty on shoes and
other leather products reduced. While
the conferees fixed the glove rate to-
day by shading the high rates on ex-
change, they were SO certain that the
president would consent to the action
that notices were sent to the Demo-
Gratis to be on hand at 10 o'clock to-
day to approve OF disapprove of the,
report.
The president had other ideas of
what the rates should be, however,
and he expressed them forcibly in
letter.
He said lumber should not be more
than $1.25 per 1000 feet for rough,
with the differentials fixed by the SEN
ate on finished lumber. He declared
also the senate rates on gloves which
are the same as the Dingley rates and
much less than the house rates, would
have to be adopted, in order to OBJ
tain his endorsement.
The president also specified that
hides must go on the free list and the
house rates on boots and shoes and
other manufacturers of leather must
be reduced. Hosiery should be reduc-
ed below the house rate, which was
advanced over the Dingley duties.
1t was not until after the Demo-
cratic members had assembled that
the White house communication was
received When Senator Aldrich read
the letter he called his Republican as
sociates to an adjoining room. The
letter was discussed and it was de-
rcided that the minority should ibe told
that the conference report had not
1been advanced to stage where 1t
could be submitted to them for their
judgment.
After the Democrats had reached
the corridors they held little confer
ence of their own. Representative
Champ Clark of Missouri, was called
back to the chamber. He was given
a COPY of the bill as the conferees in
tend to report on it, excepting for the
schedules discussed by the president
in his letter. The Democrats then
went into session.
The minority members were In the
conference chamber less than an hour.
Representative Griggs said that II the
Republicans would consent to put cot
ton bagging on the free list his as
sociates would act with great celer-
ity in bringing the conference report
to vote.
AS the Democrats left there follow
ed a wild scene. Representative Ford
ney and Representative Calderhead
went to the White house and from
there to the office of Speaker Cannon
and then back to the conference cham
her. Later they conferred with
number of western senators who were
interested in the lumber question.
Speaker Cannon hurried to the con-
ference room. He has been one or
the chief supporters Of the house rates
on gloves.
There was no opportunity to COM
promise on gloves. The president de-
clared the rates must not be advanced
beyond the figures named in the sem
ate bill.