The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-20
THE SENATE
THE OBSTACLE
~
Hostile TO the Presidents
Programme
SENATOR CRANE AT WORK
Trying to Secure Votes For Free Raw
Opposition May
Disappear When Vote
is Recorded.
SENATOR CRANE AT WORK

Washington, July 2o.-Two days Of
busy canvassing have convinced the SEN
ate leaders that the Presidents free
raw material programme faces mem
aeing conditions in the upper branch,
The downward revisionists Of the Con-
ference Committee are well satisfied
with the progress Of their cause there,
and expect to report a bill that twill
be acceptable to the House"--that is the
phrase current about the Capital This
means bill embodying most Of the re-
ductions made BY the House on hides,
lumber. oil. coal and iron ore, although
not implying that all these articles will
be made free. Speaker Cannon is con-
fident that even with less concessions
than the President wants, the House will
readily accept the conference report. The
doubtful situation is in the Senate, and
10 far it's growing worse instead Of
better.
Senator Crane arrived in Washington
last evening and had an early and long
conference with President Taft this fore
noon, As the junior senator from Mass
achusetts had hoped TO remain At home
until his vote would be needed on the
tariff bill, II Is obvious that his pres
ence is required TO assist the President
in securing the votes necessary to carry
the bill through the Senate if it con
forms TO the Presidents demands for
the removal of protection from the raw
materials named. The conference com
mittee will be ready to report by Thurs
day, but II cannot do 50 until the man
ayers have reasonable assurance that
their report viii be acceptable to the
Senate. All through the tariff session
Senator Crane has rendered great
service to the progress Of the bin by
his knowledge Of inner situations and
the skill with which he has harmonized
many differences which would resent
any other arbitration.
The work now cut out for him IS
the hardest in his senatorial career, and
upon it and that Of other men in the
Presidents confidence may depend
whether the Taft programme succeeds
or the Senate remains in session another
month threshing out It's differences. The
latter outcome Is possible although sea-
soned observers express no doubt that
when the vote is taken, many of the
statesmen who are now most rampant
against free hides and other Western
and Southern products will be fonnf
tearfully but safely lined up for the
bill The free.hide men are refusing
compromise, on the ground that a duty
Of ~ cents is as menacing to the indie
pendent shoe trade as 10 cents. Any
iuty, they say that gives the packing
houses an advantage over the indepen-
dent leather concerns, would place the
latter at the mercy of the packing trust;
and with a normal margin Of profit SO
narrow that only great volume Of
business can afford living return, the
boot and shoe men are holding their
friends in the conference committee
strictly to the free-hide programme.
The attitude Of the ten Republican
insurgents who voted against the bill
fore the session Il over, If their courage
IN voting equals that in conversation.
Men like DolIiver and cummins are in.
censed that the Presidents plan does
not include also a reduction Of the high
duties on textiles and sugar. The insur-
gents SO far have refused to be tempted
by the limited downward revision urged
BY President Taft particularly ais 1t in.
eludes the free admission of some arti-
cles, like hides and oil. which are pro
duced in their States The boot and shoe
men are willing to accept reduction
to ten per cent and not more, but they