Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-20
MARROW MARGIN IN WHICH CON.
.FEREEs MAY oscILLATE BE-
TWEEN DANGER ZONES.
VERY STRONG
BEYOND CERTAIN LIMITS
President Seems to Be Satisfied With
Free Raw Materials and Corporation
Tax ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Does Not
Satisfy Extreme Advocates of Down.
ward Revision.
[special corresnondence.1
ward Revision


Washington, July 2o.-1t is just COM
ing to be recognized that there is a
Very narrow region within which the
tariff conferees may oscillate the
schedules up and down without caus-
ing difficulty about the passage of the
tili
This is in fact the greatest difficulty
confronting the measure at present. If
the duties are put too high they will
crash into the opposition to high rates
If they go too low. they will encoun-
ter the antagonism of the ultra protec-
tionists. The free raw material pro-
gram, for which the president enter
tains strong leanings, is bitterly OPP
posed by senator's from a powerful
group of states: reduced rates on man
ufactured articles are opposed by the
Aldrich Kew England Pennsylvania
forces. Altogether. the conference re-
will have to be a wonder of balance
anu compromise. concession ana du-
justment.
Take for instance the free raw ma
terial proposition. The president is
said to have handed out the straight
tip that certain things in this direction
must be conceded or he will be unable
to give his countenance TO the bill. His
irreducible minimum in this direction
is said be:
The corporation tax. which has been
reduced 70 / per cent.
Free iron ore.
Free oil.
Free hides.
Coal at not to exceed 40 or As cents
per ton The present rate is 81 cents
Lumber al 81 per thousand feet, the
rate named in the house bill.
This schedule of the administration
demands was given out by an authority
representing the finance committee,
and was said to be unquestionably cor
rect. The people who have been maxi
ing the fight for lower duties on the
textiles and on manufactured products
in general. We're mad thru and thru
when they heard it. Said one of them:
"How's a conference report based on
that plan going to be adopted? The
low rate on lumber will cost it the
lumber vote: the low duty on coal will
make the West Virginia senators dis
gusted, and the free oil and iron ore
will drive them over to the opposition.
! The free hide proposal will force the
senators from Wyoming, Montana and
! the rest of the range states to vote
against the report. and they have been
loyal followers of Aldrich. Meanwhile
you've got in it rates as high as 200
per cent on textiles. to make the down.
ward revisionists sore. You can't get
that proposition thru the senate; it
would be about twenty votes short of
adoption.
There are some republican advo-
Gates of downward revision, who would
I manage to vote for the free raw ma
terial program. if at the same time
they could get the reductions they
want in the schedule of manufactured
articles; and the manufacturing east
would probably go with them, if it got
the free raw materials. But to get a
majority by this combination is not
easy The fact is that the adjustment
which can be certain of carrying both
house and senate is not a right easy
! one 10 inquire out.
West Becomes Factor.
! The political effects of a bill which
should give the free raw material pro-
gram, but allow the schedule in gem
eral to go about as the conferees
would agree on them, are giving much
concern to republicans. The middle
west, where it is plain enough the con-
! troll of the next house will be deter
mined, is for downward revision of
the manufacturing schedules. 1t is
planned by the Aldrch distribution of
benefits, that the middle west is to be
satisfied with the high rates on agri-
cultural products. But the west isn't
any longer so willing to accept this ar
rangement. 1t has a notion that it
would get protection on what doesn't
need protection, and be left to pay
high rates for the benefit of the man
ufacturipg states
The middle western people are de-
cidedly pessimistic about the prospect
of bill coming out and passing which
will satisfy their section