The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-27
A FREE TRADE PROPOSITION.
senator Davis Substitute for the
Porto Rican Tariff Bill.

Mr.. Davis yesterday submitted to the
Senate substitute for the Porto Rican
Tariff bill which provides for free trade
between the United States and the island
and for raising funds for the support of
the insular government by imposing an
internal revenue tax equal to 10 per cent
of that now in force in the United States.
The act is declared to be provisional and
is not to continue in force longer than
March l, 1902. The substitute in full
reads as follows:
Section /. That Porto Rico IS hereby
made an internal revenue district. That
the laws of the United States providing for
internal revenue taxation and collection,
not locally inapplicable, are hereby eX-
tended to and shall remain in force in
Porto Rico. excepting as herein otherwise
provided. for the term stated in this act
The President by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall appoint col
lector of internal revenue for said dis
trict, who shall receive an annual salary
of $4,000, and whose office shall be at San
Juan.
Sec. 2. That. excepting as herein 9TH
erwise provided, Is per cent of all the in
ternal 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 docu-
ments shall be collected in said district.
The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
authorized and directed to make all need
full regulations to carry this act into effect
and TO prescribe the compensation of all
officers and agents necessary for that pur-
pose.
Section .. The amount of all taxes so col
he Of
lection, are hereby appropriated and placed
at the disposal OF the President, to be
expended under his direction for the gov
ernment Of Porto Rico now existing and
hereafter to be established, and for public
education. public works and other govern
mental and public purposes therein.
Section 4. Upon tobacco not grown in
Porto Rico and upon all manufacture
thereof and upon rum or other distilled
spirits produced from substances not
grown in Porto Rico the full tax provided
by the internal revenue laws of the United
States shall be collected.
Upon tobacco grown in Porto Rico and
the manufactures thereof. and upon rum
and other spirits distilled or made from
sugar cane or other agricultural product
grown in Porto Rico, or from the product
OF such sugar cane or other agricultural
product. the said tax of Is 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 seIf-gov-
ernment has been established in Porto Rico
adequate TO raise ard collect taxes by its
own legislation. shall have the power from
time to time by proclamation to decrease
the said per centum of taxation or to
wholly abolish the same
Section 8. That no duties on Imports or
exports shall, after the passage of this act.
be levied or collected on any articles i'm
ported from the United States into Porto
Rico or from Porto Rico into the United
States.
Section & 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 Porto Rico
and shall not continue in force after the
first day of March 1902.