The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-06
COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION
TO CONSIST OF b MEMBERS, Fl
ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE,
And tn he Clothed with Power to Fix
Rules for Application of Customs
Duties-Other Features.

in a formal decree. Following is the de-
cree proper, without the preamble:
Article provides that the laws of March,
1895 be amplifed in accordance with the
following rules which will be developed in
bylaws:
Rule /. The municipalities and assemblies
of the six provinces of the island of Cuba
(Pinar del Rio. Havana, Matanzas Santa
Clara, Puerto Principe and Santiago de
Cubal will enjoy all the liberties compatible
with the laws and the respect of individual
rights. The assemblies will have the right
10 elect its presidents. In each assembly
there will be executive committee.
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
among the members. They will exercise,
without limitation. the active functions of
| the municipal administration executors
| of the decisions of the municipalities. The
| provincial assemblies will have the right to
suspend the decision of the municipalities.
| when they go beyond the limits of the
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 pow
ers in matters of taxes in accordance with
| the general and local system of taxation.
| The appropriations for the provinces and
| municipalities will be separately made. The
! organization of establishments of public in
| structions in the provinces will correspond
| to the provisional assemblies. and in the
| towns and cities. to the municipalities. The
| governor general and the civil governors of
| the provinces will only have right of inter
| vention in matters of public instruction to
assure the fulfllment of the general laws
| and the compatibility of the municipal and
| provincial appropriations with the expenses
| of those establishments.
| COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATIONS.
Rule 2. The council of administration of
| the island will be composed of thirty-five
| councilorships Twenty-one of them will
b. elected directly by the people. with the
same conditions and census that elects the
| provincial assemblies and the municipali-
ties. according TO the rule established in
Article 8, Of the law of March Is. 1895.
Nine will be as follows: The president of
| the University of Havana, the president of
| the Chamber of Commerce of Havana. the
| president of the economical societies of tine
friends of the country. of Havana: the
president of the Planters Association. the
| president of the Tobacco Manufacturers
Union, one member representing the chap
| tiers of the Cathedrals of Havana and of
| Santiago de Cuba. one representing all the
trades associations OF Havana. two deSig-
| mated among the taxpayers of the province
| of Havana. The other five will be Senators
| or Representatives to the Cortes. who have
| been elected by the island of Cuba i'm a
greater number of general electors. The
| governor general will be honorary presi-
| dent of the council, and the actual presi-
| dent will be nominated by the governor
| general from among the members of the
| council The members of the Cortes, dur
| ing their term, cannot be councillors of
L ~ " - ~ In no, ole. taI
| councillor ii Is necessary to haye the same
| qualifications required to be deputy
to the Cortes. and it is necessary to have
| resided two years in the island. The APP
| pointment of the officers and clerks of the
| council will be vested exclusively in said
| council The council will elect every six
| months, committees. each of them COM
| posed of five members for the transaction
| of business and the drafting of resolutions
| Rule 5. The Cortes will determine the
| amount OF the expenses or sovereignty um-
| perial eXpenses) and will determine the to-
| tai of the budget. To meet that amount the
| council of administration will accord every
| year the taxes and revenues necessary to
| supply the expenses approved by the Cor
ties: Only In the ease of the council of
| voted by the first of July the taxes and
| revenues necessary TO meet the budget ap-
proved by the Cortes, the governor. gen
| eral will decree them with the advice of
| the intendante. The council of admins
| tration will frame and approve the local
| budget and the resources OF the expenses
! Educational institutions to qualify for gov
| ernmental positions. excepting for those of
| the army and navy. will correspond in or
| ganlzation to the council OF administration
| THE CUSTOMS TARIFF.
Rule 4. The attributes of the council of
| administration. as regards the customs tar
if. will be as follows: First. 1t will fix all
rules for the application of the customs
duties; second. It will decide what is most
convenient regarding taxes on exports +:
third. it will fix or modify the fiscal duties
for revenue on importations in the island :
| fourth, ii is 10 be heard in an advisory
! manner regarding the rules, classified tons
| and schedule of duties. These rights will
have the following limitations: First ma
| tional products directly imported to Cuba
| will enjoy Indispensable protection taking
into consideration that the taxes on for
! cign products will be for revenue only; sec
ond, taxes for revenue established by the
council of administration will be applied
! alike to foreign and to national products;
| third, taxes on exports will be equally lev
| led and will not be differential but il will
| be possible to except from these rules the
direct exports to Spain for home consump-
| ton; fourth, no prohibition on exports will
be imposed on products directly exported
| for home consumption in Spain. The GUS
| tom tariff will have the following form:
| 1t will consist of two columns. one for rev.
! enue only. equally applied and the same
proportion TO foreign and home products.
and the other column Will consist of differ
! entail duties imposed on all foreign prod
ucts. and where there will be ii margin of
PiOlStllOi lOT tit iidllOiltl v, WIN =
maximum that the Cortes will establish.
! The government will fix. for the first tirne
! the articles of the tariff which will make
| up the differential columns The taxes will
| not exceed - per cent. the value of the
articles The government viii decree Il re-
vision of the official valuation of merchan-
| disc after hearing all those interested pro
| and con The immediate realization of all
the conditions established i'm these rules
being impossible, the minister of the col
OnleS, in accordance with the law of June,
y. 1850. Will publish provisional tariff on
/ these lines in order 10 avoid DELAY i'm the
| reform of the tariff laws The commercial
! treaties or conventions affecting the tariff
! of Cuba Will be special. In order to estab-
| lish reciprocity there will not be in them
| the most favored nation clause or its
! equivalent. The council of administration
| VIII be consulted over the ACCESSIBILITY of
| negotiating commercial treaties and CON
| ventions which Is the intention OF the gov
| eminent to negotiate. and this will be done
| before the final drafting of the treaty and
/ It's presentation for the approval OF the
| Cortes.
| GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES
Rule refers 10 the powers OF the govern
or general to appoint employees in the Offices
of the general government and in the offices
| OF the civil governors of the provinces.
Rule refers to the secretariat of the
| general government, TO powers of the in
tendente thead OF the treasury. controller
director of the local administration and
names the clerks in their Offices.
| Rule refers TO the appointment of gov
! ernmental emplOyes by the governor rem