The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-08-03
ALLEGED JOKER
IN TARIFF Bill
conference Committee Hur=
riedly Reassembled.
WESTERNERS IN REVOLT

Bolt of Senators Threatened on Ac-
count Of the PhraseoIogy of the
Hide and Leather Compromise.
Regular Republicans Alarmed at
the Numerical Strength Shown by
=. the "Insurgents."
Washington, Aug. 3.-With the tar
If conference report facing threatened
defeat In the senate on account of an
alleged ''joker'' In the hide and leather
compromise it was decided to reas-
semble the conference committee for
the purpose of preparing an official
explanation. President Taft was
largely responsible for the reassem-
bling.
The action of Western Republican
senators, aided by the Democratic
members, in compelling the reading
Of the conference report in full en-
abled the supporters of the conference
report to take new poll of the SEN
ate. Much to the surprise of the sup
porters of the report they found that
their previous canvasses were value
less. There seemed to be a revolt
among the Westerners on account of
the phraseology that had been adopt
ed by the conferees in adjusting the
differences tin the hide and leather
paragraph.
Since Saturday there had been MUIR
murings of discomfort, but these had
rot been regarded as serious. Charges
that the leather compromise harbored
q "toker" had been heard, but such
limitations are not unusual in con-
nectlon with the settlement Of con-
troversies. Some of the dissatisfied
senators said that the duty on boots
and shoes had not been reduced to 10
per cent as alleged by the conferees.
Foundation for the Charge.
The language Of the conference re-
port imposing duty of 10 per cent
on boots and shoes is as follows:
THAT boots and shoes, the upper
leather Of which Is made wholly or in
chief from such hides (hides admit
ted free Of duty) shall pay duty of
10 per centum ad valorem."
Senators from cattle states assert
that there are no shoes of that de-
scription used in the United States
and that the reduction, therefore, is
valueless, as all other shoes of
leather are made dutiable at Is per
cent.
Realizing that some heroic measure
would have to be taken in order to
restore public confidence some of the
conferees expressed a willingness to
adopt resolution permitting the con-
ferees to revise the action In regard
to the hide and leather schedule.
The older and more conservative
members said that this would not be
necessary. They believed that if an
explanation were made the public
would accept it In good faith, espe
c1ally If President Taft gave the ex-
PLANTATION his endorsement.
There were several things about
the settlement Of the differences be-
tween the house and the senate over
the lumber schedule that we're the
subject of condemnation on the part
Of the senators from Middle Western
states and it was reported that the
eonferees might include in whatever
statement they made some explana-
ton of the action tn regard to that
schedule. The increase above the
Dingley rates made on shingles is OBJ
tected to. particularly by the insur-
gents.
Conferees Justify Language.
Members of the conference commit
tee said that the language employed
had been made necessary by a parlia-
mentary situation, making it impossi-
bic to reduce duties below the lowest
rate fixed by either body unless by a
proviso adopted in connection with a
paragraph In dispute, such as that re-
lating to hides. 1t Is asserted that it
was necessary, therefore, to limit the
reduction to leather goods made chief
~ from hides of CATTLE
A canvass Of the senate during the
reading of the conference report de-
veloped the fact that number Of
senators who were believed to be in
sympathy with the report we're in
clined to leave the reservation" as
the act of joining an insurgent force
Is commonly termed in the senate.
That the regular Republicans were
alarmed at the showing would be put
ting it mildly. There followed hur-
ried rounding up OF senators in the
finance committee room. The general
understanding is that the Informal
conferences in Senator Aldrich's room
did not restore confidence.
Senator Aldrich then visited the
White House. Several other senators
had preceded him there. All of the
White House visitors said that the
president had declared that the Ian.
euage used in the conference report
was not q Joker" and that he had
understood that the phraseology en-.
ployed had been necessary to meet
the situation.
LONG REPORT READ IN FULL
IL.