The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-28
Conferees Agree if House
Will Gut Shoe Rates.
MUST GIVE WORD IN ADVANCE.
If Bargain Fails Whole Program
Will Be Called Off - Lower
Body May Decide on
It Today.

Washington, July 27.-The conferees
ON the tariff bill have finally agreed to
report provision for free hides pro-
yiding the house in advance authorizes
its conferees to reduce the leather ana
shoe schedule below house rates. Prob
ably q resolution authorizing such a
schedule will be presented In the house
today. The conference will not be
concluded until after the house acts.
Hides will be put on the free list II
boots and shoes and other mandfac'
lures Of leather are reduced below the
rates fixed by the house bill. Unless
the advocates of free hides are able to
carry out this bargain the whole pro-
gram is to be called off.
The conferees began work again at
IL a. IN. and the house members as
sembled half an hour earlier in order
that they might lay their plans for exc
cutting their part of the agreement. 1t
is expected they will have report
from the house leaders as to the pos
sibility of passing a rule comforting
jurisdiction upon them to agree to
lower rates on leather than those
named in the house bill.
Senator Aldrich has informed sena-
tors from the northwestern states that
he will not consent to the abolition Of
the duty ON hides unless there is Il
material cut in the rates on boots and
Shoes and ctho" leatte. gUDds. III ~
other way, he said, can he get the
votes necessary for the adoption of the
report in the senate if it carries free
hides
Senators from cattle raising states
have insisted that the only way con-
Sumers can get any benefits from the
removal of protection on hides would
be by corresponding reductions in the
duties on boots and shoes and harness
The Rhode Island senator's views CO.
incide with this statement
If for any reason, parliamentary OF
otherwise, anything should occur tC
upset the plan to give the conferees
jurisdiction to adopt rates lower thar
those named by either the house OF
the senate the conference committee
is holding what is regarded as Il trump
the preparation of conference report
putting hides on the free list and re
ducing the rates on shoes and Other
leather manufactures.
The report, it is said. then would bt
presented to President Taft with tht
statement that the conferees had no
been able to muster sufficient votes t.
assure its adoption, and it would de
volve upon the president to procur,
the necessary support for the pro
gram.
In the event of failure, according t,
promoters of this suggestion, the con
ferees would submit a report placing
small duty on hides and the hous
rates on leather. The president woul,
be asked to get the necessary votes il
the house to insure the passage 0
such program by that body.
Obnoxious as such plan would b
to most of the conferees, it Is said t
have been suggested in all seriousness
Few of the conferees believe that
will be incumbent upon them to resOr
to such tactics, however, for all O
them realize that the criticisms usua
ly heaped upon members who oppos
the administrative view make me
hesitate to combat the presidents will
On that account 1t is generally b.
ieved that the compromise givin
cheap rates on shoes and other mani
features Of leather in return for FIRE
hides will be adopted.
Senator Warren says that the ives
ern senators would not be represen
ing their states II they were to col
sent to the abolition Of the duty O
hides in the interest of the manufa
turers of shoes and other leather good
unless manufacturers In New Englan
and other eastern states are compellt
to concede lower rates on leather pro-
ucts.
While the western senators take Il
position that the removal of the dut
on hides will be injurious to the catt
business, some Of them say they W
withdraw their protests because Of Il
Insistence Of President Taft IL redu
tions are made all along the line In Il
leather schedule.
The program on which the confere
are working is as follows:
Hides free, as provided by the hous
against the senate rate Of Is per ce
nd valorem.
Sole leather, per cent the same
In the house bill, as against the sena
--A- 80 TX oa~t