The Washington herald., 1909-07-25

tactics has brought the leaders OF the
majority in Congress near 70 some sort
Of compromise OF tarin aRtagonisms,
but what? Everyone has a guess oom.ng,
but no one knows, not even the men
engaged IN the legislative battle Itself.
At dinner with the President on the
White House roof garden the conferees
and the administration advisers eX-
changed polite amenities and professions
Of party fealty. All had been told plainly
what the President regarded as essential
10 the fulnllment OF his own and his
partys promises as 20 downward revision.
a recalcitrant House conferee. irked by
senatorial criticism. had dead-lOcked the
conference, but had been smOothed out
during an auto spin In the country with
Taft Stin no one appeared 70 know
which side OF the fres raw materials
question would give in, or whether a
veto would actually be forthcoming in
tho event OF failure to meet the Pres
idential demands. AS Chairman AldrIcn
put 70 in his smooth. incisive words at
the harmony dinner II was still a Ques-
ton OF who could command the votes In
the SenRte-that Is, a majority OF them.
Should Payne refuse 20 sign the coming
conference report. and the House back
him up. then something radical might yet
be extracted from the high rate section
OF the elder statesman"
Following the Taft dinner the con-
ferees resumed their meetings with greater
personal harmony, but still at odds as 20
the vital issues. II was agreed, Thurs
Cay, that the customs court should sit
at Washington and not at New York.
Also II was determined that the cor
pOration tax should not be limited IN
time. The position OF the Republican IN
surgents was defined in a statement by
Senator Cummins Thursday after he had
met the President at breakfast. The
Senator asserted that free raw materials
would bring little advantage 20 the peo-
pie II unaccompanied by reductions in the
rates on the corresponding manufactured
articles. He regards the increase 40 -
per cent ad valOrem on structural steel as
win do more harm than Gil the de-
creases proposed in the iron and steel
schedule
There were signs Of mutual conces-
sions in the joint conference on the tariff
revision bill from the time that Presi-
dent Taft told his twenty-five high tariff
visitors on the 10th that he would stand
out for free raw materials 10 the end OF
downward revision. for which he and the
Republican party were committed. He
had explained that he was compelled to
look al the matter from the standpoint
Of the whole country and not from any
particular district. lie had repeated the
platform Of the party and said that he
had always understood that It meant
a downward revision in many instances,
though, perhaps in some few instances
an increase might be needed He had
reached this conclusion on what he un-
derstOod 10 be the principle Of protec-
ton and its justification. namely. that
after an industry had received protection
equal 20 the difference between the cost
Of production at home and abroad. allow
ing FOR a fair profit. American energy
and ingenuity would reduce the cost OF
production and that with this reduction
the tariff rate would become unneces-
sarily high.
With these words ringing in their ears
the conferees began another week OF
daily meetings. only 70 find that bad
feeling and irritation was cropping out
among them. On Tuesday hot words
were exchanged between Senators Bur
rows and Penrose on the one side and
Representative Payne on the other, and
the latter left the room IN a huff. say
ing he would not return until more con-
ciliatory methods were employed. He
intimated that Representative Fordney
had entered into secret agreement with
the Senators agalns. free raw materials.
for which he CPayne) all along had stood.
Then II was that the President again
got busy with his famous smile and his
persuasive manner. first consulting an
hour with Aldrich and Cannon, second
taking Payne for spin In the country
in his auto. and finally arranging that
all OF the cOnferees should take dinner
with him at the White House, Wednes-
day night, together with Vice President
Sherman, Speaker Cannon. Secretary
MacVeagh. Attorney General Wicker
sham. and Senators Crane and Root This
social affair served 10 bring the party
leaders into better personal relations and
into closer personal touch with their
chief But no definite understanding re-
suited from SC. The situation still re-
NAMED any ones guess as 10 the final
outcome The President further pressed
his demand for free hides by telling sena-
tor Borah and other range Senators"
that he would stand with them for lower
rates on the manufactured products OF
leather
The position OF the insurgents. as voiced
by Senator Cummin's statement. Thurs
day. was anything but satisfaction over
tho outlook Even the free raw materials
would not suit them unless accompanied
with lower rates on the manufactured
products.
The course OF the minority was de-
Tended IN a statement by Senator Gull
berson. Friday. pointing out that with
the exception Of the vote on iron ore.
coal, lumber, and hides. the minority
had been a unit and asserting that on
all Items directly affecting the con-
Stunning masses. that it was for lower
rates or the free list
The National Association OF Clothiers
has asked the President 10 veto the bin
unless lower rates be made in the wool
schedule.
The National Association OF Manufac-
turers has sent to Congress a memorial
asking that a uniform income tax law be
enacted. suggesting that tax amounting
to x Of I per cent be laid upon the in
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