The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-02-09
AN ABSTRACT
Of the Proposed Reforms in Cuba and
Porto Rico Signed BY the Queen
Regent

| The proposed reforms for Cuba and
Porto Rico, approved by the queen re.
gent, will be promulgated Saturday in
the official Gazette.
| The decree approved by the queen
regent is substantially as follows:
Article 1 The laws of March Is, 1895
will be simplifed.
The municipalities and assemblies of
the six provinces of Cuba will enjoy all
the liberties compatible with the laws
and respect of individual rights.
The assemblies will have the right
to elect their presidents. In each as.
sembly there will be an executive COM
mittee elected by the assembly every
six months and its president will be
elected by said committee.
/ The mayors and deputy mayors will
be elected by the municipalities from
amongst the members. They will ex-.
ercise without limitation the functions
of municipal administration.
The provincial assemblies. will have
the right to suspend the decision OF
the municipalities when they go be-
yond the limits of municipal rights,
but in this case the municipalities will
have the right of appeal to the highest
court of the province.
The provincial assemblies will have
large powers in matters of taxes in ac-
cordance with the general local sys-
TEN of taxation.
The appropriations for the provinces
and municipalities will be separate
! The council of administration of the
island will be composed of 35 council
! ors, 81 of them will be elected by the
| people.
/ The governor general will be honor.
airy president of the council and the
actual president will be nominated
by the governor general from among
! the mem ers of the council.
In order to be elected councillor. it is
necessary to have the same qualifca.
tions as are required to be deputy to
the Cortes and it is necessary to have
resided two years in the island.
The cortes will determine the amount
of expense of sovereignty Imperial ex.
penses) and will determine the total Of
the budget. To meet that amount the
council of administration will vote
every year the taxes and revenues
necessary to supply the expenses, APP
proved by the cortes. Only in the
/ case of the council of administration
not having approved and voted by the
first of July the taxes and revenues
necessary to meet the budget approved
will decree" them with the advice of
intendente.
The council of administration will
frame and approve the local budget.
The esta blishment of educational in
situations to qualify for governmental
positions, except for those of the army
and navy will pertain to the council OF
administration. as regards the custom
tariff, will be as follows:
/. 1t will fix all custom duties.
g. It will modify the fiscal duties foI
revenue of importations in the island
subject to these notifications; national
products directly imported to Cuba
will enjoy the indispensable protection
taking into consideration that the
taxes on foreign products will be fol-
revenue only.
3. Taxes for revenue established by
the council of administration will be
applied alike to foreign and to national
products.
T. Taxes on exports will be equally
levied and will not be differential; but
it will be possible to except from these
rules the direct exports to Spain fol
home consumption.
5. No prohibition on exports will be
imposed upon products directly ex
ported for home consumption in Spain
The custom tariff will consist O.
these parts: One, for revenue only
equally applied and in the same pro
portion to foreign and home product:
and the other will consist of differen-
tial duties imposed on all foreign pro
ducts, and in this there will be mar
gin of protection for the national in
dustry with a maximum that thu
cortes will establish.
The government will FIX, for the frs
time, the articles of tariff which viii
make up the differential columns
The taxes will not exceed 20 per cent
of the value of the articles. The gov
eminent will decree revision of th'
: valuation of merchandise after hear
ing all those interested pro and con.
The council of administration viii
negotiating commercial treaties anC
conventions, which it is the intention
of the government to negotiate, anC
: this will be done after the final draft
ing of the treaty and its presentation
for the approval of the cortes.
The council of administration viii
respect mutual pending contracts ant
at the expiration of the same will have
the right to accept or repeal them
The council will also have the powe
of enforcing in the island the treas
a ury laws of the peninsula so far a
z regards a contract with the Bank o
: Cuba.
: Article 2 provides that the govern
J, ment will embody in a single decree
/ the present rules and those OF the law
S of May Is, 1895, developing both in by
: laws. which shall not change the strlc
: sense of the present decree.
e Article enacts that the above men
/ toned rules will apply also to Puert