The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-26

Supreme Courts of territories. The Presi-
Dental appointees TO the two courts. sub
ject to confirmation by the Senate, and
their salaries are as follows:
Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court, S,W0.
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court
(each), $4,000.
Marshal of the Supreme Court. $500.
United States district Judge. So,Vo.
United States district attorney, $1,000.
United States district marshal, $500.
Court proceedings will be in the English
language. but provision will be made Tor
official interpreters.
Under the law, Porto Rico does not OBJ
tain a delegate in Congress. But on the
election day OF the United States, next
November. the voters Of the islanc Will
choose "a resident commissioner TO the
United States, who shall be entitled 10 Of
fetal recognition as such by all depart
ments upon presentation to the Depart
ment of State of a certificate of election
Of the Governor OK Porto Rico, and who
monthly, by the United States, at the rate
of $500 per annum; provided, that no per-
son shall be eligible TO such anfelection who
is not a bona ide citizen of Porto Rico.
who is not thirty years of age, and who
does not read and write the English
language" In all but a seat in Congress
the commissioner will be the same as a
Territorial delegate. The latter has right
of speech, but no vote in Congress.
A commission of three members, one or
whom Is TO be a native or Porto hlco, is
to be appointed by the President. and con.
firmed by the Senate. The members VIII
| receive salaries at the rate IL 5000 a year.
Their duties will be Ito compile and re-
wise the laws of Porto Rico; also the va
| rious codes of procedure and systems or
municipal government, now in force, and 10
, frame and report such legislation as may
be necessary to make a simple, harmonious.
and economical government. establish JUS
tice and secure its prompt and eflcient al
ministration. inaugurate a general system
of education and public Instruction., pro-
vide buildings and funds therefor, equanze
and simplify taxation and all the methods
of raising revenue, and make all other pro-
visions that may be necessary TO secure
and extend the benefits of a republican
form of government to all the inhabitants
of Porto Rico.
GENERAL PROVISIONS. .
Among the general provisions OF the law
are these:
The capital remains at the city of San
Juan.
All inhabitants who were Spanish sub
| jects April IL, 1889, and their children, shall
be deemed and held to be citizens of Porto
Rico, and, as such, entitled to the protec-
ton of the United States" Exception is
made of those who may have registered
their allegiance to Spain before April IL,
1900. All others the law declares, together
with such citizens of the United States as
may reside in Porto Rico. shall constitute
a body polite under the name of The Peo-
pie of Porto Rico with governmental pow
ers as hereinafter conferred, and with
power to sue and be sued as such
The old Spanish law "forbidding mar
riages of priests. ministers or followers OF
any faith because of vows that they may
have taken is repealed.
"An persons lawfully married in Porto
Rico shall have all the rights and remedies
conferred by law upon parties either 10
civil or religious marriages."
All vessels owned by inhabitants of Porto
Rico shall be nationalized and admitted TO
the benefits of the coasting trade of the
United States the same as vessels owned
by citizens of the United States.
All of the public property ACQUIRED In
Porto Rico by the United States under the
cession of Spain is. by the law, placed un-
der the control os the government estab-
lished by this act, to be administered for
and the legislative assembly hereby Gre
ated shall have authority, subject TO the
limitations imposed upon all its acts, TO
as it may deem advisable" Harbors and
coast defenses are. Of course, not included.
They remain, as in the United States, un-
der control of the general government.
All officials authorized under the law
"shall, before entering upon the duties of
their respective offices, take an oath to sup
port the Constitution of the United States
and the laws Of Porto Rico"
This country has no tariff on coffee.
Porto Rico for the protection of its coffee
industry will have a tariff of 8 cents per
from other countries. Under Spanish dom
nation the duty was 6 cents. n pound.
One of the provisions which strikingly
illustrates the extent of home rule con-
ferred on the Porto Ricans says that the
legislative assembly shall have power by
due enactment to amend, alter, modify or
repeal any law or ordinance. civil or Grim
inal, continued in force by this act as it
may from time TO time see fit"
THE TARIFF EEATITRE
So much has been said about the tariff
feature of the law that there ought to be
a sufficient understanding of it without
further explanation. Briefly. it may be
stated that on the exports from Porto Rico
to this country there will be collected Ii
per cent. or three-twentieths of the Ding
ley rate. On the imports from this country
into Porto Rico will be collected the same
fraction of the Dingley rate. But this
exception is made: A merchandise and
articles entered into Porto Rico free OF
duty under orders heretofore made by the
secretary of war shall continue to be adj
mitted free of duty coming from the United
States These articles from the United
States or which the Porto Ricans will have
to pay no duties include bacon. bags for
sugar, coopers' wares and wood cut for
making hogsheads or casks for sugar OF
nolasses, fresh beef. cod fish. hoar. ma
ohinery and apparatus and parts thereof
for making and refining sugar or for other
agricultural purposes, mineral, carbonated
and seltzer waters, natural or artificial root
teer, giGger ale and other similar nOnalco-
bolic beverages, modern school furniture,
mutton, crude petroleum., lime. plows. hoes
hatchets, machetes for agricultural pur.
i poses ard other agricultural implements
not machinery. pork. rice. rough lumber
tar and mineral pitch, asphalts. bstumen
trees, PLANTS and mess in natural or fresh
state.
All articles on the free list of this coun.
try, of course, enter Porto Rico free, ex-
cept the coffee bean. In addition the arti
cles mentioned above which pay the Ding.
ley rates If imported into this country
from any other enter Porto Rico free wher
imported there from the United States.
This is the much-talked-of tariff, as II
applies under the law TO Porto Rican trade
with this country. But every dollar col,
lected under this tariff goes into the Porte
Rican treasury. Furthermore this tariff ii
only temporary. The law Declares:
whenever the Legislative Assembly OF
Porto Rico shall have enacted and put into
operation a system of local taxation e
meet the necessities of the government OF
Porto Rico, by this act established, and
shall by resolution duly passed so motif,
the President he shall make proclamation
thereof. and thereupon all tariff duties or
merchandise and articles going into Porto
Rico from the United States or coming into
the United States from Porto Rico shal
cease, n from and after such date al
such merchandise and articles shall be en-,
farad at the Gayaral morris of onfrx- free -