Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-14
PRESIDENT QUIETLY ACTIVE IN
EFFORTS TO SECURE LOWER
TARIFF DUTIES.
MAY FORCE ACCEPTANCE
OF PAYNE's HOUSE BILL
Senate Maximum and Minimum Clause
Favored by Taft-Insists on Square
Deal for the Nation-usins Tact To-
wards canada-speaker Cannon for
the House Bill.

Washington, July 14.-President
Taft admits, when talking to his news
paper callers, that he is already dis
cusslng specific schedules with MEM
oers OF the conference COMMITTEES. but
he declines to say whether he is ar
guing in favor of the senate bill or
against it.
The inference is natural, of course,
that he is arguing against it.
Speaking specifically as to this point
of 'threshing the conference question
out in the press, the president takes
the ground that it would be bad policy.
Ihe present situation, he realizes, is a
serious one, and it demands the utmost
wisdom in its consideration. He thinks
1t would be departure from wisdom
Tor him to talk to the conferees
thru the newspapers, when he is
talking to them daily face to face.
and, besides that, this newspaper talk
would be likely to prevent the very
result at which he is aiming
FOR these reasons. therefore. it will
not be his policy to take the news
papers into his confidence on the tariff
situation, beyond the general state
ment that he is laboring with the
conferees daily, expects to continue
this labor until an agreement has been
reached. and that the outlook so far
is satisfactory
Square Deal for Nations.
He means that he has pronounced
views concerning a great many of the
duties as fixed in the house and senate
oiils, but nothing is forthcoming from
MIN as to the character of those views.
SO much for the very pleasant talk
which the president had last night
with some twenty-five to thirty of the
newspaper correspondents in this CITY.
The talk disclosed the presidents
opposition to the Clapp amendment to
the corporation tax measure providing
that the tax shall be levied on holding
companies; but The Journal has for
several days been informed on this
point.
1t is altogether likely that the con-
terees will accept the senate maximum
and minimum features of the bill. 1t
is known that the president favors
thef features, holding that they are
broader and fairer than the features
of the house bill. and will be less dras-
tic IN their practical operation, and
therefore less liable to bring the I'm
tied States into sharp controversy
with other nations.
The senate maximum and minimum
clause provides that the president in
the exercise of his discretion in inn
posing the maximum, shall not be re-
country has imposed duties which
"unduly discriminate" against goods
coming from the United States.
Uses Tact Toward Canada.
These words "unduly discriminate"
the president holds, clothe him with
wide discretion, and, for instance. would
not make it necessary in all cases that
he impose the maximum upon Canada
should Canada give to England duties
which it did not give to the United
States. The discrimination in favor
of England in that case would have
to be undue before the president
would be called upon to act.
This view, which it is known the
president entertains, will be of interest
along the Canadian border.
In certain other respects the presi-
dent is also known to favor the senate
maximum and minimum and admins
trative features generally, and the I'M
derstanding is that he is laboring with
the conferees to have the house sur
render to the senate on these particular
points. Should they do this, it would,
of course, be natural to assume that The
senate conferees would yield to the
house on other matters, and since the
duties are practically all that would be
left, once the maximum and minimum
and other administrative features are
out of the way, aside from the corpora
ton tax, it should be an easy guess
that the senate conferees, when the
time comes for them to yield, will do
so on matters of duties.
Hear All Sides.
The president cares nothing for the
rate of taxation provided by the corpo-
ration tax. What he is decided upon
is the precedent established by the tax,
that the government is to have the
right of inspecting the books of corpo-
rations. This. he thinks, is of utmost
Importance, while the,rate of the tax is
not, and may be raised and lowered. as
is tine case with the income tax In Eng
land, as the need of the treasury de-
mands. 1t is apparent that he does
not think the conferees will mutilate
this tax section, but will be guided by
him.
The president maintains his custom
airy CHEEKY manner when discussing the
tariff conference, altho not attempting
to disguise the seriousness of the sit
uation as effecting him personally, and
also the republican party He says
that he has not considered the politics
that is mixed up with the case, and
shall not do so. What he wants is to
get the very best tariff law. that is pos
sible and, having done this, he will be
satisfied. He processes to know MOTH
ing about the wave of opposition to-
the senate bill which is sweeping over
the middle west.
AS indicating the catholicity of the
presidents mind, it may be noted that
both the regulars and insurgents are
calling on him in numbers every day.