The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-07-13
President Abandons Hands
Or Attitude and Long Con-
ferences Follow
FavOrs Reduction in Both Mea=
sureS, but Strongly Opposes
All Increases
Saws Time for Generalities Has
Passed and Facts and Fig
ures Are Now Wanted
LSpeaaI Dspa4ch so The Call

lSpecial DspGtch to The CcAl
" TAsHNGToN. July 1a--Presi-
W dent Taft has begun TO take =
w had personally il the deter
ulInation OF specific rates OF duty in the
pending tsriS bill The president has
abandoned the hands or policy and is
giving the conferees exact information
as TO his opinions and desires AS he
himself put i today. the tine for gilt
te-ing generzlitfes has passed and the
p occasion now calls for detailed express
SION OF facts and figures The president
Is emphasizing his new attitude BY IN
usual activity. He had already had sew
eraI conferences with some Of the sen
ate and house leaders. but today set q
rev record This morning was one
long conference on the tariff. Il began
wlth breakfast. when the president had
IS his guest Representative Fordney
of Michigan. one Of the standpat high
ta-iH conferees who were put on the
house committee in order 10 offset the
revision downward tendencies OF Serene
Payne. who. By virtue OF his position
a. the head OF the ways and means com
mlttee. heads the house conferees
Mysterious ReaIigning Of Forces
There has been some mysterious
reaIfguing OF forces in the house re
Gently and 70 that fact is attributed the
overturning OF Payne in the selection
q the conferees- Only a short time
ago President Taft was serene in his
confdeuce that Speaker Cannon would
really and faithfully reader substantial
sssistaucs N securing reductions from
the senate bin in conference. But the
appointments OF a standpatter ike Ford
nsy. disDIscing Needham Of California.
has renewed the old suspicion OF the
speakers good faith in his role OF re-
visionist- Il was regarded as signih-
cant. therefore, that after conversation
with Chairman Payne Saturday night
Taft should have Fordney at breakfast
this morning There is reason for be
iievfng that the president found Ford
ney disposed 20 be reasonable.
Taft made IT clear 70 the newspaper
men today that he had no intention OF
issuing any statement on the subject
A. least until the bin had received his
final action Il he has occasion 70 say
anything 70 the conferees. or any Of
them. il viii be said in person and
directly.
Taft Remains Optimistic
The events Of the morning had al
ready made II quite clear that he was
saying things TO the oonferees directly
ana IN person It was made clear
moreover. that these discussions witt
eonferees were dealing with specific
questions Of rates. The president finds
the bin in the situation where ne can
legitimately exercise his influence and
is proceeding 10 do so.
Il can be said that Taft has not ye;
lost any OF his optimism as TO the
ultimate result His position has been
known FOR some time. He wants. in
general. the reduction OF both bills and
the increases Of neither He recognizes
the fact that the AIdrich bin is ex-
tremely unpopular throughout the
country. Based upon the talks recent
callers have had with the president
there is q renewal OF the talk that h
is liable 10 veto the bin. II the state
meut Of the matter was left 10 hin
it would be a simple thing 10 bring out
2 bin that would be satisfactory 10 The
country. but there are a good man,
things that wiz operate to prevent a
veto
FavOrs Corporation Tax
one OF the most important OF them
is Tafts belief that there are mum
Der Of excellent provisions in the bin as
ii stands. One Of these is the maxi
mum and minimum provision. He re-
cards the senate writing OF this fea.
ture with much more favor than that
Of the house. This is due to the great
discretion which IS conferred upon the
president by the AIdrich framing Of the
provision Another Of these reasons Is
the corporation tax The president
-EAl- NAAe1- anu cLhHVN lE4EFE MS re-
sponsibility for that provision OF the
bill Re is determined to stand by il
and VIII not submit TO the substitution
Of an Inheritance tax or any other
form OF special taxation He agrees tc
the proposition TO cut the rate from
per cent TO per cent The addi-
tionzl tobacco tax is estimated to rafss
$4,000 ,000. and with that in addition tc
the customs revenue to come from the
operation Of the bill. the president
thinks that / per cent Of the earnings
q corporations wiz raise sufficient rev.
enue.
In view Of these things there is rea-
ably viii sign the bin within short