Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-07-16
From Washington.
C onesDondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
Washington, July Is.

Washington, July 10.
Practically all of the comparatively
uuimportsnt items 10 dispute between
the two houses in the tariff bill have
been agreed upon and the conference
committee is now considering the con-
tests over hides, coal, lumber, lead, oil
and iron ore. 1t Is upon these things
that the widest differences exist and it is
also upon these that the greatest feeling
Is manifested. In the contest the House
took the side OF the manufacturer and
either put all Of these things on the free
list or greatly reduced the tariff rates on
them. The Senate took the other side
and restored all to the dutiable list,
although accepting some reductions
from the rates of existing law. Iny
this situation it is claimed that the
president is taking sides with the House.
With this to encourage them the House
couierees are stubbornly demanding free
hides, free iron ore, free oil, 81 lumber,
reduced lead and paint duties, and re-
ciprocity on coal. The Senate confer
rees. on the other hand, freely admit
that If the House propositions should be
sustained 1t would be impossible to pass
the bill through the Senate, there being
fourteen republican votes from the
Rocky Mountain section which are per-
feclly satisfied with the present Dlngley
law and which would be cast against any
such radical changes affecting their
principal products. Thus the confer
ence committee is practically at dead
lock. Senator Aldrich and Chairman
Payne will take these matters up to the
White House for President Taits con-
alteration early next week and an effort
will be made to thresh out q compromise.
All hope of securing report from the
conferees this week has been abandoned.
Il has been decided that the bill shall
carry a provision authorizing the issue
of bonds to cover the full cost OF the
completion of the Panama canal based
upon the estimate OF Col. GOethals that
his will be 1897 900, 900. Under exist
ing law az issue Of $3.50, 600, 600 is au-
.horizad, of which $50, 900, 900 have
Deed issued. Under the agreement which
vas reached after conference with the
president and secretary of the treasury
authority will therefore be given for aD
additional issue OF $267, 100000 These
are to be issued from time to time as the
money is needed and they are to bear
,hree per cent. interest, and are not to be
AVAILABLE for national bank circulation.
The outstanding Panama bonds pay only
two per cent and srebeiDg used by ma
tional banks. For that reason, despite
the low 10 crest rate they were sold at par
or over. Now, however, the banks have
al the circulation that they require and
an Issue of two per cents would not bring
par 10 the opinion of the governments
| financial experts. At three per cent,
however, they will be marketable IS an
investment security aud by making them
unavailable as a basis for circulation the
market value OF the outstanding bonds
will not be impaired. A tentative agree
ment has been reached by the conierrees
to make the duty on scrap iron ADD steel
81 q ton with strict definition as to what
shall be considered scrap. The House
made this rate so cents and the Senate
put It at the same as pig iron, 81 80 per
ton because of the difficulty Of defining
scrap.
The tariff cOnferees took up the
WOODEN schedule at their morning session
today but after discussing 1t for some
time 1t was laid aside. Then the silk
schedule was taken up only to meet with
the same fate. The rest Of the time was
occupied In the consideration of a num-
Der OF items in other paris OF the bill.
No important question has yet been set
tied in the schCd dulles bat it has prscti-
csly been determined to restore the
drawback prOvisIons of existing law with
few notifications In place of those
passed by the House. Al the instance
of President Taft, treasury experts are
examining the cotton schedules 30 that
they can inform him as to the truth oil
the statement that the Senate rates
greatly increased the duties on cotton
goods. 1t is hoped by the conierees that
they will be able to dispose OF that
schedule tomorrow night.
Twenly-three republican congressman
called on President Taft today and
begged him not to allow the raw ma
tsrials raised In their Districts to be
placed on the free list. Mr.. Young, of
Michigan, was the principal speaker,
but addresses we're made by q DOZEN.
The president did not give his callers
much encouragement and told them st
the conclusion of 30 hours talk, that he
would look into the subject and il they
needed protection be would see that they
got it. In his speech Mr.. Young said
that The producers Of the country were
willing to stand reduction on the tariff
from the present Dingley rate but could
not sff jrd to have the duty taken off.
Mr.. Langley, Of Kentucky, pointed out
the political effect of the abolition oil
duty upon iron, coal and lumber. There
srs about q dozen Of us republican mem
bers from the SOUTH" said Mr.. Langley,
"eyery one Of whom was elected upon a
protective tariff platform with the un-
derstsndiDg that we we're to fight for our
districts interests The moment you
take of the duty from the products we
raise you will throw our district back in
to the democratic column and all hope
of winning the south for the republican
party will be lost" President Taft,
reply ing to Langley, said that he hoped
he was as good a republican as anyone oil
them and that be vas just as anxious So
anyone possibly could be for the success