Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-05-08
The Porto RiCan Bill.


act, the same custom duties are levied
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 a
duty of five cents per pound on enter
ing Porto Rico. Scientific, literary
pamphlets printed in the English
/ language may enter Porto Rico free of
duty.
All merchandise coming into the
United States from Porto Rico and
coming into Porto Rico from the
United States shall pay fifteen per
cent. Of the present Dingley tariff
rates; articles of the class which pay
an Internal revenue tax in the United
States must also pay sum equal to
this internal revenue duty, while ar
ticles from the United States going
into Porto Rico must also be subjected
to any internal revenue rates of tax
alton there collected on that class of
articles.
One feature of the act, which here
tOfOre seems to have attracted little
attention, is extremely important to
the Porto RicanS because it Will per-
NIT them to import free OF any duty
nearly all of the necessities of life.
Under the order which the secretary
of war has issued, -four, bacon, Goldfish,
fresh beef, pork, mutton, rice, bags
for sugar, cOOpers' wares and wood
cut for making casks for sugar or mo-
lasses, machinery and apparatus for
making and refining sugar, or for
other agricultural purposes. plows,
hoes, hatchets, matchets and other
agricultural implements not machin-
cry, rough lumber and modern school
/ furniture, crude petroleum, lime, as
phalt, bitumen, trees, plants and
| MOSES in natural or fresh state, min
eral, carbonated and settler waters,
| either natural or artificial, root beer,
ginger ale and similar nOn-alcohOlic
| beverages, and numerous other ar
ticles 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 not
withstanding." 1t thus appears that
the Porto Ricans will, under the new
act, receive from the United States
| free of any duty all of the above i'm
portant articles in addition to those
regularly upon the free list under the
| Dingley law, while on other articles
they will pay but fifteen per cent. or
three twentiethS Of the regular Dingley
tariff rates. and what is equally i'm
portant, they may put an end to the
payment of even this small duty at
any time they may desire, since the
law specifically provides that these
duties shall cease as soon as the Porto
Rican legislature shall have provided
the necessary revenue for the expenses
of the government of the island.
The duties collected under the act
are to be placed at the disposal of the
president to be used for the govern
ment and benefit of Porto Rico until
the government of Porto Rico shall
have been organized, when the mon
eys 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 i'm
posed by the act.
The capital is to be at San Juan.
Persons who were Spanish subjects
April II, 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 laws and ordinances of Porto
Rico now in force are to continue ex-
cept as altered by the act, or by mill
tary orders, and which are not in
consistent with the laws of the United
States.
The old law forbidding the mar
riage of priests and ministers is re-
pealed.
The vessels of Porto Rico are to be
naturallzed and admitted to the bene.
tit OF the United States coasting laws
, Quarantine stations are to be estab
llshed. Porto Rico coins are to be re.
| tired, the peso being rated at sixty
: cents in the exchange. Three month:
! after the act takes effect Porto Rice
coins are not to be legal tender. Prop
: erty usually under the control of the
: United States will SO continue. anf
other properties acquired from SPAR
will be administered by the Porto
Rican government. The governor il
: to be appointed by the president ant
hold his Office for four years, having
the powers conferred on governors O
territories of the United States. but i
, to make his reports through the sec
. rotary of state to the president.
An executive council appointed o,
the president and confirmed by tn,
{ senate, consists of a secretary. attor
4 ney-general, treasurer, auditor. com
4 missiOners of interior and education