Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-13


a law to-day.
1t applies to the islands of Puerto
Rico and to the adjacent islands lying
east of the 74th meridian, which are
designated Puerto Rico.
From the passage of the act the
same custom duties are levied on all
goods entering Puerto Rico from for
eign countries as are levied on the
same goods entering the United States,
save that of coffee which has free en-
try into the United States, is to pay a
ing Puerto Rico. Scientific, literary
and artistic works and books and PAM
phlets printed in the English language
may enter Puerto Rico free of duty.
The tariff section of the bill relating
to duties between the United States
and Puerto Rico is as follows
THAT on and after the passage of
this act all merchandise coming into
the United States from Puerto Rico
md coming into Puerto Rico from the
United States shall be entered at the
several ports of entry upon payment
of Is per cent of the duties which are
required to be levied, collected and
paid upon like articles of merchan-
disc imported from foreign countries-
and in addition thereto upon articles
of merchandise of Puerto Rican man
ufacturers coming into the United
States and withdrawn from consump-
tion for sale upon payment of tax
Equal to the Internal Revenue Tax
imposed in the United States upon the
like articles of merchandise of domes-
tic manufacture; such tax to be paid
by internal revenue stamp or stamps
to be purchased and provided by the
commissioner of internal revenue and
to be procured from the collector of
internal revenue at or most convenient
to the port of entry of said merchan-
disc in the United States and to be
affixed under such regulations as the
commissioner of internal revenue with
the approval of the Secretary Of the
Treasury shall prescribe; and on all
articles of merchandise of United
States manufacture coming into Puerto
Rico in addition to the duty above
provided upon payment of a tax i'm
posed in Puerto Rico upon the like ar
ticles of Puerto Rican manufacture:
Provided, that on and after the date
when this act shall take effect all
merchandise and articles except cof-
fee not dutiable under the tariff laws
of the United States and all merchan-
disc and articles entered in Puerto
Rico free of duty under orders hereto
fore 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
standing; and whenever the legislative
assembly of Puerto Rico shall have en-
acted and put into operation
System of Local Taxation
to meet the necessities OF the govern
ment of Puerto Rico, by this act es-
tablished and shall by resolution duly
passed, SO notify the President, he
shall make proclamation thereof, and
thereupon all tariff duties on mer-
chandise and articles going into Puer-
to Rico from the United States or
coming into the United States from
Puerto Rico and from and after such
date all such merchandise and articles
shall be entered at the several ports
of entry free of duty; and in no event
first day of March, 1902 on merchan-
disc and articles going into Puerto
Rico from the United States or coming
into the United States from Puerto
Rico.
THE duties collected under the
above section shall be placed at the
disposal of the President to be used
for the government and benefit of
Puerto Rico until the government of
Puerto Rico shall have been organized,
when the moneys collected shall be
turned into the local treasury of Puerto
Rico. Goods imported from Puerto
Rico and under bond shall pay only
the duty imposed by this act.
The Governmental Provisions
of the bill are: The capital shall be
at San Juan. Persons who were Span
ish subjects April IL, 1899, and who
have not elected to preserve their al
legiance to Spain are held to be cit
liens of Puerto Rico and entitled to
the protection of the United States.
The designation of the body polite is
under the name The People of Puerto
Rico.
The laws and ordinances of Puerto
Rico now in force shall continue IN
full force and effect, except as altered
by this 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 Puerto Rico are to be
nationalized and admitted to the bene-