The leader., 1900-04-18
THE PORTO RICAN TARIFF BILL.

q III r. n bh IO hlNHatAN q AMIR Dill
The Porto Rican tariff bill, as fran
ed and passed by the Senate, was also
passed. by the House on last Wedues-
day, without amendment, aud has been
signed by the President. The bill pass
ed the Senate by a vote of 40 to 81, the
only noticeable features of the vote
being The affirmative ballot of Senator
McEnery Dem of Louisiana, and the
opposition of six Republican Senators,
Davis and Nelson, of Minnesota, Hoar
of Massachusetts, Proctor of Vermont, Z,
Simon of Oregon, and Wellington of
Maryland. In the House there were
seven Republicans who opposed the
tariff, Messrs. Mccall of Massachu-
setts, Littlefield of Maine, Lorimer of
Illinois, Heatwole of Minnesota, Crum-
packer of Indiana; Lane of Iowa, and
Warner of Illinois.
The bill is civil government as well
as tariff bill. 1t provides that on all
imports entering Puerto Rico from
foreign countries the tariff rates of
the United States shall be paid, besides
five cents pound on all coffee; per.
mits all books printed in Spanish and
! all books imported from the United
States to enter free of duty; imposes
on goods imported from the United
States into Puerto Rico and from Puer-
| to Rico into the United States 10 per
cent. of the tariff rates now existing
| between the United States and other
nations; provides that the duties and
taxes collected in Puerto Rico shall be
used for the government and benefit
of Puerto Rico; recognizes the inhab
itants as citizens of Puerto Rico and
as entitled to the protection of the
United States; recognizes the laws of
| Puerto Rico so far as they are not in
consistent with the laws of the United
States; admits Puerto Rican shipping
to American registry and to the coast
ing trade provides for the substitu-
tion of American for Puerto Rican
coins: extends our statutory laws, ex-
cept internal revenue laws, to Puerto
Rico; defines the powers and duties of
| the governor of Puerto Rico; provides
for the appointment by the President
for four years, of a secretary, attorney
general, treasurer, auditor, commits
sionar of the interior, commissioner of
education. and five other persons to
constitute an executive council, at
| least five of the eleven to be native
inhabitants; vests legislative powers in
the executive council and house of
delegates containing thirty five mem.
bers elected biennially; provides that
the chief justice and the associate JUS
tees of the supreme court and the
marshal be appointed by the pres
ident, and the judges of the district
courts by the governor; provides for a
resident commissioner of the United
States, who must be bona ,fde citizen
of Puerto Rico, thirty years of age, and
able to read and write English, and
who shall be entitled to official recog
milton by all departments; provides
for commission to compile and revise
the laws of Puerto Rico, and provides,
lastly, that the act shall take effect
May |, 1900.
The bill, as it became law, shows a
distinct back down by the Republicans
from the position first taken by the
House on the question of the tariff,
since the rate was reduced from % to
l5per cent. and its operation limited
to less than two years. The Democrats
rightly took the position that Porto
Rico, being now part of the United
States, it is entitled to enjoy the same
tariff rights and privileges accorded
to the States and Territories.