The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-24
President Resorting to Ex-
pedients to Assure the
Downward Revision and
Also Party Harmony.
TALKS WITH CANNON
ALSO WITH SHERMAN

u0lIUJJO VI IUWcT 0UUy VI
Congress in Order to Sc
cure Free Hides.
Chicago. July 24-John Callan
DLaughlin says in the Tribune to-
day:
President Taft is still resorting TO
various expedients to obtain downward
revision and at the same time to as
sure practically unanimous republican
backing for the report Of the confer
ence committee ON the tariff bill.
The president had interviews yester-
hday and again today with the vice.
president and Speaker Cannon to see
1f the rules OF the house could not be
20 modified as to permit reduction in
duties on the finised products OF hides.
This action is essential IL hides are to
be transferred to the free list
Runs Against House Rules.
In his efforts to obtain certain free
raw materials and reductions of duties
for their finished products, the presi-
dent has run against the rules Of the
house. These provide that managers
OF conference must confine them.
selves to differences submitted to
them and may not include subjects not
within the disagreement. even though
germane to the question in issue.
This has been interpreted as con-
inning conferees to accepting either a
house duty or senate duty or rate
between the two. II the only difference
be Of that rate. II an entire para
graph has been rewritten by the SEN
not only to change the language, but
the rate as we'll.
In case Of the finished products Of
hides, the senate made no sweeping
amendments, SO that conferees under
house rules must conflne themselves
to arranging an agreement between the
rates fixed. II this procedure were not
followed q single point of order raised
in the house could cause the rejection
OF the conference report.
Senate Rules More Elastic.
The senate rules as shown to the
president today by the vice president,
are much more elastic. They author
ixe the conferees to include in their
report matters which are germane
notifications Of subjects In disagree
ment. Under this authority the senate
managers may change paragraph or
. whole schedule as they see At, and in
case OF any question In the senate a
majority vote will sustain their action.
Consequently so far as the senate is
concerned, there was no need for an
attempt to change the rules in order
for the president to get what he de-
sired.
The house situation has been care
fully explained to the president by the
speaker, and also was discussed with
the vice president. Speaker Cannon
is strongly opposed to any attempt to
change the rules of his chamber.
In the first place the rules were
adopted at the beginning Of the extra
session sitter a bitter fight had been
made upon them by the so-called in
surgents. To suggest modification to
the speaker was like waving red rag
at q bull. He believes the rules are all
right and should stand
Fears Effect Of Modification.
Moreover to attempt to amend the
rules by a resolution authorizing the
single reduction of duties on leather
goods would. in the speakers judg-
ment. open the whole tariff bill to
amendment by the same method.
Chaos, he declared. would be precipi-
tated and no one could know when q
bill would be completed and trans
mitted to the president for signature
1t Is probable consequently that the
rules will not be changed. But the
presidents suggestion nevertheless,
has borne fruit. A way has been
found by which a duty below the low
est rates Of the house bill and senate
amendments on leather products can
BE- secured without violation of par
liamentary rules
This contemplates the insertion OF
. proviso in the paragraph relating to
leather and boots and shoes under
which a duty below the Dingley rate
would be imposed upon products made
from hides of cattle.
This proviso was discussed by the
president with Senator Warren. who
has been the champion Of duty on
hides. and now Is under consideration
BY the conferees. It is the belief OF
tho president that II 1t be adopted as
he expects. one Of the knottiest prob
lGuns which the conference committee
has had to consider will be solved
Raw Material Demand Unchanged.
IN spite OF reports to the contrary,
President Tafts' FREQ raw material pro-
gram has not changed. At this mo.
ment. Washington IL filled with rum.
ors usually generated by the numerous
lobbyists Of the interests, who are
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