Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1909-07-22

4
will exert upon the lowering Of tariff
schedules and the fact that the Presi-
dent was bringing pressure to bear
upon the conferees to lower certain
items in the schedules, furnished the
gossips food for talk during the week,
which eliminated with the visit of
large delegation of congressman and
White House. The congressman came
to protest against the lowering of the
duties upon certain raw materials.
Much was made of the fact that the
President was firm in his conviction
that iron ore and coal and hides should
be upon the free list. That lumber
also should take the low duty provided
by the house bill rather than the high
duty of the senate bill
1t is important that coal and hides
and iron ore and lumber be placed upon
the free list But there are other
schedules in the bill that ought to be
reduced in order to make the bill con-
form to the pledge made to the people
and in order to make it a real revision
downward, which will be of material
benefit to the people.
The oil of this country is controlled
by Standard. Its prices viii be fixed
by Standard and whether it is on the
free list or on the dutiable list will cut
but very little figure in the price which
the consumer win have to pay. Free
coal does not mean that there will be a
reduction in the price of coal The an
thracite coal field in this country is alb
solutely controlled by the coal trust.
The bitumnous coal fields of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio Indiana, Illinois, Okla
homa, Wyoming, Utah, Washington,
and Montana are absolutely controlled
by the coal trust. 1t is true that there
is limited coal field in Canada and
another in Mexico, but reciprocal a.
greements are provided to cover what
ever competition there may be from
these sources The consumer would
get but little benefit from free coal,
but he should be given the opportunity
to get that little.
Free hides will make a difference for
it will be possible to import hides and
to give the American consumer the
benefit of cheeper shoes, provided the
duty upon shoes is reduced, Right in
this connection is the nub of the bust
ness. Not only should what the Presi-
dent advocates be put on the free list,
but the duties upon the articles manu-
featured from these products should be
reduced.
Senator La Toilette had an impor-
tant interview with the President be-
fore leaving for Wiscor IL, In that
interview he not only urged the Presi-
dent to take a stand in favor of free
hides, free lumber, free coal, free oil
and free iron ore, but it is understood
that he places on file with the Presi-
dent a complete analysis Of the bill,
showing in detail the increases in duty
made in this law as compared with the
present law and that the bill is in no
sense a fulfllment Of party pledges.
The President was so impressed with
what Senator La Toilette placed before
him, that it is understood he has di-
rectcd the Treasury Department to
make an examination of certain of the
schedules and report to him. Mr.. La
Toilette also placed before the Presi
dent a document showing a comparison
of the bill as it finally passed the SEN
ate, with the present law. The figures
in this document were prepared by the
Bureau of Statistics. which is under
the Department Of Commerce and La
Dor and is a recognized authority.
These figures showed that on the basis