Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-26

the most interesting and the busiest
Sabbath day Washington has had since
this administration took hold The con-
ference committee met yesterday morn
ing, wrangled over the hide question
for some two hours-Speaker Cannon
and Expert Hinds being called in for
consultation as to the parliamentary
status" of the tariff measure with spe-
cial reference to the reduction of the
boot and shoe duty below the low level
of the house bill--and adjourned until
o'clock. Last night, after Payne and
Aldrich had had hot words, it was
found still impossible to settle the mat
ter in dispute and an adjournment was
taken until this afternoon to give fur
ther time for canvass of sentiment
among the rank and file of the two
houses of congress.
Everything is settled-practically-
except the hide issue. and everything
else that has involved much contro-
versy is to bear the marks of com
promise. President Taft, feeling that
no tariff bill ever was enacted into law
that was wholly satisfactory to any
man--at least he never has run across
such man-apparently is willing to
compromise on all except hides and
leather. He demands unconditional
surrender as to the latter He insists
that hides must be free, arguing that
the stand he has taken in the matter,
and in the matter of leather products,
which touch the pocketbooks of every
man and woman in the country. un-
derlies the whole principle of down.
ward revision.
The president realizes that unless
hides are made absolutely free there
can be no reduction in the duties on
manufactured leather Hides, he is in
formed, are going up in price in spite
of any tariff duties; the domestic pro-
duction is monopoiiZed by the Chicago
packers so that the idea Of free hides
is to give manufacturers who can not
get sufficient supply in this country
an opportunity to bring in hides from
Argentina and elsewhere. With in
creasing prices in hides it is though,
boots and shoes and other leather pro-
ducts also may advance, and there is
an executive demand that higher prices
il they come, shall not be credited to
high protective duties
Therefore the president has concen-
trated all his energy on the matter III
question. If he wins he believes he
can, with the reductions noted in Other
schedules, consistently sign the bill sem
to him. If he wins that point he ex.
poets to be able to show how there
has been revision in keeping with the
pledges made to the country In thi:
connection new and interesting view
of the executive was made known yes.
terday. It is to the effect that a wrong
impression has been created with re.
spect to downward revision, meaning
in all cases lowering Of prices tt
consumers.
The meaning of revision. from the
presidents point of view as protec.
ZIONIST, is to prevent monopoly and ex.
cessive prices rather than to reduc,
current prices He illustrates his ar
gnment by citing the reductions mad
in the duties on steel products, excep
fabricated steel. With the impetu
given to industry by reason of the pros
perity that lies ahead, it is expecte,
there will be demand for iron ant
steel so great that the big plants will
find 1t hard to supply it. Natural,
prices will be put up, but the reduced
duties, in the event that it becomes
necessary to import quantities of irol
and steel because of the inability O
the domestic manufacturers to suppl,
the demand, will prevent prices from
being boosted to an excessive point.