Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-07-26
No Let-Up in
Taft S Activities
PRACTICALLY ALL or SUNDAY
DEVOTED TO coNFERENcEs.
Hopes That Another Twsnty-Four
Hours VIII straishten Out All Tan;
gIes-Not Fully Satisfied With Bill.

Washington, July 25.-Sunday brought
no cessation of President Tafts tariff
activities. His conferences with house
and senate leaders covered practically
the entire day. Even the customary
Sunday afternoon ride through the
parks was abapdoned.
Sticks to Demand for Free Hides.
Although he admitted frankly to
several Of his. callers today that the
situation was not all that could be de-
sired. he expressed hope that another
twenty -four hours would suffice to
straighten out the tangle in the confer
ence and that the report of the con-
1erees would be presented in the house
on Tuesday next. 1t further is hoped
at the White House that the report
will be ompanied by definite plan
of action which will be acquiesced in
by the house and senate, and that con-
gress might adjourn by the last of the
week. President Taft. 1t was learned
today has not receded in any way
from his demand for free hides. The
president, it is said, has been deeply
impressed by the Representations by
the leather interests to the effect that
under the prohibitive Is cents duty the
leather and shoe manufacturers are
practically at the mercy of the four
or five big meat packing concerns of
the mlQQle west.
Although some Of the house leaders
are loath to establish the precedent,
they have informed the president that
it would be entirely possible for the
conferees arbitrarily to change the
leather schedule to the lower prices
agreed upon in the bargain for free
hides, and that the change could be
protected in the house against an in
evitable point Of order by the adoption
Of rule providing that points of or
der should not lie against that partic-
ular item.
President Not Laborins Under pelu-
sion.
President Taft. according to those
who have talked much intimately with
him, does not suffer the delusion that
revision of the tariff downward is 60
ing to bring reduced prices or would
be of immediate benefit to the much
talked about ultimate consumer" In
stead of a reduction, it is declared that
there will be actual increases during
the coming year on many of the neces :
saries of life, including wearing appar-
el. Even the putting of hides on the
free list and the accompanying reduc-
tion in duty ON finished leather pro-
ducts is not expected to work a reduc-
tion in the prices of boots, shoes. har-
lltSS OF any VI IIle OIUeI+ I0tTla0 VI
things manufactured from leather.
/ As a matter of fact the presidents
advfces are to the effect that hides are
rapidly Increasing in price and that the
demand is so great that even the large
importations expected from the Argen-
tine under q free entry clause will not
suffice to keep the prices at current
figures.
An advance of 90. to 25 per cent in
&l.r x.~fa - lx-na H. 1a,es
been announced, despite the fact that
no change has been made in the wool
en- schedule. This schedule, the presi-
dena has been told will not permit of
a reopeniDg at this time.
His Theory OF Downward Revision.
The president today explained to his
callers his theory of downward re-
vision-from a protectionist point of
view. The idea is not to reduce du-
ties to the point of affecting home in
dustries or to admit imports to what.
from the republican standpoint, would
be unfair competition with home made
articles. The president is represented
as regarding downward revision as a
means of protecting the people from
monopoly and excessively high prices.
Each time schedule which is regard
ed as having become excessively high
as a result of the development of home
Industries and the progress of manu-
factures, the presidents idea is said to
be that the tariff rate should be low
cred to the extent of fixing a reason
able limit beyond which prices cannot
be raised without inviting imports in
just competition.
He summed up the theory of tariff
revision as not so much to bring about
Immediately lower prices to the con-
sumner, but to protect the consumer
from exorbitant prices which might he
possible behind tariff wall Of excess
sive height.
Nobody Ever Entirely Pleased With
Any Tariff Bill.
Even with hides on the free list the
president has not admitted in any Of
his talks that he would be entirely
satisfied with the bill. In fact, the
president declared that he did not
know of anybody who ever had been
entirely pleased with any tariff bill.
BITTER WORDS BETWEEN
nRfCH AND pANNE