The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-03-26
PUERTO RICO BILL.
Senator Davis Introduces a
Substitute Providing for
Free Trade.

WASHINGTON, March 26, 1900.-Senator
Davis (Minn) has introduced substl-
tute for the Puerto Rican bill which pro-
vides for free trade between the United
States and Puerto Rico and extends the
internal revenue laws, with amendments,
over the island The act is declared pro-
vsional and shall not continue longer
than March l, 1902.
The bill in full is as follows:-
Section l. That Puerto Rico is hereby
made an internal revenue district; that
the laws of the United States providing
for internal revenue taxation and collec-
ton, not locally inapplicable, are hereby
extended to and shall remain in force IN
Puerto Rico, excepting as herein other
wise provided, for the term stated in this
act. The President, by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, shall ap-
point a collector of internal revenue for
said district who shall receive an annual
salary Of four thousad dollars and whose
office shall be at San Juan.
Section 2-That, excepting as herein
otherwise provided, fifteen per cent fail
the internal revenue taxes imposed by
the laws of the United States shall be
collected in said district. No stamp taxes
imposed by said laws upon written or
printed documents shall be collected in
said district The Secretary of the Treas
ury is hereby authorized and directed 10
make all needful regulations to carry this
act into effect, and to prescribe the COM
pensation of all officers and agents neces-
sary for that purpose.
Section 3-The amount of all taxes so
collected, less the necessary expenses OF
collection are hereby appropriated and
placed at the disposal of the President to
be expended under his direction for the
government of Puerto Rico now existing
and hereafter to be established, and for
public education, public works and other
governmental and public purposes there
in.
Section 4Upon tobacco not grown IN
Puerto Rico and upon all manufactures
thereof and upon rum or other distilled
spirits produced from substances not
grown in Puerto Rico, the full taxes pro-
vided by the internal revenue laws OF the
United States shall be collected.
Upon tobacco grown in Puerto Rico and
the manufactures thereof and upon rum
and other spirits distilled or made from
sugar cane or other. agricultural products
grown in Puerto Rico. or from the pro-
duct of such sugar cane or other agri-
cultural product, the said tax of fifteen
per cent shall be imposed the same as
upon other subjects of internal taxation.
Section 5-That the president, whenever
he shall be satisfied that local self
government has been established IN
Puerto Rico adequate to raise and collect
taxes by it's own legislation, shall nave
the power from time to time by prociama-
ton to decrease the said percentum OF
taxation, or to wholly abolish the same
Section 6-That no duties upon imports
or exports shall, after the passage of TINS
act. be levied or collected on any articles
imported from the United States into
Puerto Rico or from Puerto Rico into the
United States.
Section 7-This act shall be taken and
held to be provisional in its purposes and
intended to meet a pressing present need
for revenue for the Island of Puerto Rico
and shall not continue in force after the
first day of March, 1902.