Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1900-04-20
M'KINLEY SIGNS BILL
Porto Rican Measure Goes Lao
Effect On First of MAJ.
PROVISIONS ARE OF WIDE SCOPE
Sections Relative to Civil Government OF
the Islsnd VIII Prove Inter
estlng Reading

A Washington special says: At
o'clock Thursday evening President
Mckinley signed the Porto Rican tariff
and civil government bill, thus NAH
ing it Law. It applies to the islands
of Porto Rico and to the adjacent is
lands lying east Of the seventy-tourth
meridian, which are designated Porto
Rico.
The duties collected under the tariff
section Of the bill shall be placed at
the disposal Of the president to be used
for the government and benefit Of Porto
Rico until the government of Porto
Rico shall have been organized, when
the moneys collected shall be turned
into the local treasury of Porto Rico.
Goods imported from Porto Rico and
under bond shall pay only the duty
imposed by this act. -
The government provisions OF the
bill are:
The capital shall be at San Juan.
Persons who we're Spanish subjects
April IL, 1899. 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 designation
of the body polite is under the name
of The People of Porto Rico.
The laws and ordinances of Porto
Rico now in force shall be continued
| In full force and effect, except as al
tered 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OF priests and ministers Is repealed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 Porto Rico are to be
nationalized and admitted to the ben
| efts of the United States eoasting
laws. Quarantine stations are to be
established. Porto Rico coins are to
be retired, the peso being rated at so
cents in the exchange. Three months
after the act takes effect Porto Rico
coins are not to be legal tender. Prop
erty usually under the control Of the
United States will 50 continue, and
other properties acquired from Spain
| will be administered by he Porto
Rican government. The governor is
to be- appointed by the president, and
| is to hold his Office for fcdr years,
having the powers conferred on gov
ernors Of the territories of the United
States, but Is to make his reports
through the secretary OF state to the
president.
An executive council, appointed by
the president and confirmed by the
senate, consisting of secretary, at
torney general, treasurer, auditor,
commissioners OF the interior and ed
ucation and Eve other persons to hold
Office for four years. The council is
the upper branch of the legislature,
five of whom shall be natives of Porto
Rico. The other branch shall be
house Of delegates, TO consist of thirty
five members, elected biennially by
the qualified electors.
Porto Rico is divided into eleven
districts, each with five delegates.
The qualifications for voters are Eat
such elections all citizens OF Porto
Rico shall be allowed to vote who have
been bona fide residents for one year,
and who possess the other qualifca-
tons Of voters under the laws and
military orders in force on March l.
Ne person shEll be eligible to mem
bership in the house Of delegates who
is not twenty-five years Of age and
able to read and write either the
Spanish or the English language, or
who is not possessed In his own right
of taxable property, real or personal,
situated in Porto Rico.
Provision is made for enacting leg
islation similar to that in other terri
tories. The judicial power Is vested
in courts already established, the
chief justice and associate justices
and marshal to be appointed by the
president, judges Of the district courts
and other officers by the governor Of
Porto Rico. There is also q United
States district court established SINH
lar to other territories. The salaries
Of all officers appointed by the presi-
dent are:
Governor. IS, 900; secretary, attor-
ney general, auditor, commissioner Of
interior, q, 900 each treasurer, IS, 900;
commissioner OF education, $1,000;
, chief justice OF the supreme court and
United States district judge, $4,000
each; associate justices, 81, 500 each;
two marshals each, 5000; district at
!, tornsy, $4,000.
No export duties are to be collected,
but taxes and licenses may be levied.
On the regular election day IN No
vember and every two years thereafter,
Porto Rico may choose commissioner
to represent the island ut Washington,
salary s., 900. A commission of three
.. members, one native of Porto, is to
be named to revise and codify the laws
Of Porto Rico.
1ha 80 g. q. oi--sl -o-o-1,o,I :, a.