The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-04-27
A BRIEF SUMMARY
OF THE PORTO RIcAN BILL
That Goes into Effect May Ist-A Bless
ing to the Island.

hdt oOSo ihtO E>hC~e SAey - ~~A~ss
ing to the Island.
The following is a summary OF thu
principal provisions of the Porto Ricar
act, which goes into effect May 1st.
From the date of the passage of the
act the same custom duties are levieo
on all goods entering Porto Rico from
foreign countries as are levied on the
same goods entering the United States
save that coffee which has free entry
into the United States, is to pay duty
of five cents per pound on entering
Porto Rico. Scientific, literary and ar
tistic works and books and pamphlets
printed in the English language may
enter Porto Rico free of duty.
All merchandise coming into the
United States from Porto Rico and com
ing into Porto Rico from the United
States shall pay 10 per cent of the pres
ent Dingley tariff rates; articles of the
class which pay an internal revenue tax
in the United States must also pay a
sum equal to this internal revenue duty,
while articles from the United States
going into Porto Rico must also be sub
jected to any internal revenue rates OF
taxation there collected on that class OF
articles.
One feature of the act, which hereto
fore seems to have attracted little at
tention, is extremely important to the
Porto Ricans, because it will permit
them to import free of any duty nearly
all of the necessities of life. Under the
orders which the secretary of war had
issued, flour, bacon. Goldfish, fresh beef,
pork, mutton, rice, bags for sugar, coop
ers' wares and wood cut for making
casks for sugar or molasses, machinery
and apparatus for making and rein
ing sugar, or for other agricul-
tural purposes, plows, hoes, hatch
cts, machets, and agricultural inn
plements not machinery, rough lumber
and modern school furniture, crude
petroleum, lime, asphalt, bitumen, trees,
plants and MOSES in natural or fresh
state, mineral, carbonated and settler
waters, either natural or artificial, root
beer, ginger ale and similar non-alco-
holic beverages, and numerous other
articles are admitted free of duty and
will continue to be so admitted under
the act which says specifically that "all
merchandise and articles entered in
Porto Rico free of duty under orders
heretofore made by the secretary of war
shall be admitted into the several ports
thereof when imported from the United
States free of duty, all laws or parts of
laws to the contrary Notwithstanding "
The duties collected under the act are
to be placed at the disposal of the presi-
dent to be used for the government and
benefit of Porto Rico until the govern
ment of Porto Rico shall have been or
ganized when the moneys collected are
to be turned into the local treasury of
Porto Rico. Goods imported from Porto
Rico and under bond are to pay only
the duty imposed by the act.
The capital is to be at San Juan
Persons who were Spanish subjects
April II. 1896, and who have not elected
to preserve their allegiance to Spain,
are held to be citizens of Porto Rico and
entitled to the protection of the United
States.
The laws and ordinances of Porto
Rico now in force are TO continue ex-
cept as altered by the act, or by military
orders, and which are not inconsistent
with the laws of the United States.
The old law forbidding the marriage
of priests and ministers is repealed.
The vessels of Porto Rico are to be
naturalized and admitted to the benefits
of the United States coasting laws.
Quarantine stations are to be establish
ed. Porto Rican coins are to be retired,
the peso being rated at 60 cents in the
exchange. Three months after the act
takes effect Porto Rico coins are not to
be legal tender. Property usually un
der the control of the United States will
so continue, and, other properties &C.
quired from Spain will be administered
by the Porto Rican government Tht
governor is to be appointed by the presi
dent and hold his office for four years
having the powers conferred on COVER
nors of territories of the United States
but it is to make his reports through tn,
secretary of state to the president.
An executive council appointed by thu
president and confirmed by the senate
consists of secretary, attorney general
treasurer, auditor, commissioners of in
terror and education, and five Other
persons to hold Office for four years
The council is the upper branch of tn
legislature, five of whom shall b.
natives of Porto Rico. The othe
branch shall be house of delegates, t.
consist of thirty-five members, electe'
biennially by the qualified electors.
Provision is made for enacting legis
lation similar to that in other territories
The judicial power is vested in court
already established, the chief justic
and associate justices and marshal to b
appointed by the president, judges O
| the district court and other officers b