Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-08-11


ceived in the senate and referred to
theScommittee on finance April 10.
Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Island, the
leader of the senate as chairman OF
thei finance committee, subsequently
became chairman of the conference
committee, which was appointed to ad.
Just the differences arising between
senate and house and between both
houses of congress and the president.
The report of the conference com.
mittee which determined what would
be the provisions of the Payne bill in
It's final form was victory for Pres
ident Taft. He informed all of the
conferees that hides must be placed on
the free list together with petroleum,
crude and refined. They thereupon
decided to cut the Dingley tariff on
hides tos8 per cent. The president
heaTd&Ge news and sent word that he
had meant what he had said about free
hides. The figures were then lowered
to per cent. Now Chairman Serene
E. Payne, of the ways and means com.
mittee, decided to demonstrate that his
original bill providing for free hides
should no longer be subjected to the
emasculatory operations Of the ma.
jority of the conferees. He announced
that not even 5 per cent duty on
hides would be accepted by either him.
self or the house. without free hides
this tariff bill will not pass the house."
he was quoted was saying.
Message to the conferees.
The tariff came off hides instanter,
and as quickly oil was put on the un-
taxed schedule, together with gasoline,
benzine and naptha. The leather.
rough lumber. print paper, coal and
iron and glove schedules ranked next
In Importance during the closing days
of the controversy.
If hides came in free, the important
New England boot and shoe manufac.
turing interests would consent to re-
duction Of the tariff on their products,
otherwise they would continue to
fight. The solving of the hides prob.
lem left 1t simple matter to agree
to lower duties on boots and shoes.
the Dingley rate being 25 per cent.
Saddlery and harness were cut to 40
per cent, as against the Dingley rate
of 45 per cent. The president resort.
ed to the unusual method of sending a
written message to the conference
committee demanding lower rates on
humber and gloves than the Payne bill
provided, and he secured them.
The president was subjected to Sc.
verest pressure from both the upward
and downward revisionists throughout
The upward revisionists told him that
a reduction of duty on hides and leath'
er manufactures would make the next
congress Democratic, In which event
they argued that Taft would not pos
sibly be renominated for the presi
dency. The "Downwards" told him
J that Roosevelt surely would be the
, next Republican candidate for presi
dent if the campaign promises for q
downward revision were not fulfilled.
Fight for Corporation Tax.
The president had highly difficult
task also in preserving his scheme FOL
corporation tax intact in the Payne
bill. This feature is clearly the mos
Z unpopular one in the entire measure
so far as members of the senate ant
house were concerned. Many of tht
members argued TO the president tina
), the tax as provided for was unconsti
tutional. Resolutions will be intro
duced in the various state legislature,
:. condemning the act and recommend
: ing Its repeal, according to statements
t made by various congressman ii
v Washington.
r The corporation tax of per cent OF
a the entire net income over and aboy,
$4,000 received by corporations fron
t all sources. exclusive of certain item
t must be paid on or before June 80 eac
r year. Persons authorized to make r.
!. turns or statements to the govern
ment and who make returns of stat,
= ments of fraudulent nature are sui
u ject to fine of $1,000 and imprisol
g ment for one year.
During the closing days of the tari
r controversy, before the bill was vote