Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-22
TAFT SPEAKS AGAIN
FOR LOWER DUTIES
Not Only on Raw Materials,
But on Manufactured
Goods Also.
LET'S WESTERNERS KNOW
WHAT HE THINKS ABOUT 1T
Won't Yield on Corporation Tax or
Commission.
STANDS BY THE PLATFORM
STANDS BY THE PLATFORM
Senator Cummins Has Breakfast at
White House and Gets Ultima
tum. But Keeps Silent.

President Taft told five western rep
resentatives today that he did not wish
it understood that he was making a
tight only for raw materials. Accord
ing to these visitors, the President said
free raw materials were merely Incl
dental to his general policy of down.
ward revision. He emphasized that he
stands upon the republican platform
adopted at Chicago last year. This
platform, he said. calls for downward
revision. He wants that downward re-
vision, and an incident to 1t 10 free raw
materials.
The westerners were Representatives
Campbell, Scott. Anthony and Madison of
Kansas and Martin of South Dakota.
They went to the President to tell him
THAT they represented states where the
cattle industry was large, and that While
they stood with him for downward re-
vision they could not accept the plan of
making hides free and putting a high
duty upon the finished product OF hides
That. they said, would give the benefits
OF the tariff to New England and the
east. If the products were reduced in
duty that the consumer would get
some of the benefits. they would stand by
The President as to free hides. although
much against their wishes and those of
their constituents.
President Taft then made the impor
tant statement that he is receiving
from tanners and leather men consid-
arable encouragement toward reduc-
lion of the finished products, and the
understanding of the visitors was that
an q few days the President will be able
TO present to the confereeS practical
agreement from the great leather inter-
ests OF the country for a substantial re-
3uction from the lowest rates of the SEN
ate or House In the goods put on the
market by them.
Will Recommit Bill.
The President is expected to do this
and to use his influence to bring about
the reduction. The method will be to
have the House recommit its bill and
change the schedules on leather and its
products.
The westerners went away from the
White House declaring that such a
course would make the Presidents atti-
tude on free hides consistent with his
general position on the tariff. and they
declared they would stand by him.
Shortly after these five visitors went
away, Representatives Stafford of Mil
waukee, and Perkins of Rochester, repre-
senting two of the great manufacturing
cities Of the country. called on the Presi-
dent and gave him encouragement by tell
ing him that the majority of the House
was with him and urging him to stand
firm.
I'VE had better have good bill and a
late adjournment rather than bad bill
and early adjournment, Mr.. Perkins told
the President who seemed to think the
sentiment good one.
Afraid of Packing Trust.
Mr.. Stafford went through about the
same argument with the President as the
five westerners. He said that Milwaukee
is one of the great leather manufacturing
cities of the country. He had received
word from these interests that they had
rather accept still further reduction
i'll the duties upon leather than permit
The packing trust in Chicago and Kansas
City TO corner the hide market because
of a duty on hides.
They wish to avoid having the hide
and leather market controlled by the
beef and packing trust" said Mr.. Staf-
ford.
Representative Perkins said il the Sen
ate defeated the tariff bill and the tariff
question had to be taken up by Congress
next winter the Senate would get much
more radical bill in the reduction of duties
than it had this time from the House.
Stands Pat on Corporation Tax.
Another important development at the
White House today was that the anti
corporation tax people in Senate and
House have attacked the President S
flank by d proposition to limit the tax
upon corporations to two years. He has
FIRMLY declined to agree to this, and has
said that the distinct understanding all
along has been that the amendment shall
have TO limit of duration.
The President has been willing to yield
as TO the amount of the tax, caring little
whether il was l per cent or per cent,
but no proposition as to limitation Of time
will be acceptable to him. The first IN
timation of the new proposition reached
him at last nights conference with the
principal tariff makers, and he sat upon
IL then. Today he received further init.
nations along the same line.
The Tariff Commission.
Another flank onslaught is being made
upon the proposed tariff commission or
bureau. Speaker Cannon and some OF
the leaders want to drop this bureau out
OF the bill. They have their own reasons
one of them is that they fear that theo-
retical tariff men may be appointed upon
the commission.
Commercial interests of the countr,
are urging the commission and working
for il. These interests represented
by II. X. Miles and others. Unless the
President stands pretty firm for the b,I-
reau it will be omitted from the BILL AT
any rate, il Is to be changed so that the
number of experts to be appointed is lim-
tied TO five or seven. As the provision
now stands there is no limitation upon
tie number of appointments. The Pres
ident was sounded by several visitors to-
day as 10 his wishes about the commits
sion and he announced himself for it,
Continues Optimistic.
In the face OF the conflicting and dis
turbing flank attacks. the threats of th,
anti-free raw material forces. the polite.
or the insurgent senator's and the worrie:
% the high protectionists. the Presiden
is still optimistic. He let a remark o
two fall today in a jocular sort of style
about taking all summer, but at the sam,
time he expressed the belief that the con
feiees VIII report bill by the end o
this week or tho first of next.
Senator Crane, who makes from one /,
Two trips day to the White House an,
Continued On Nineteenth Page.l