The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-25

items it is practicable to specify.
Commissioner Wilson, of the Internal
Revenue Bureau. has received an inquiry
as to whether. under the new Porto Rican
act. beer exported to Porto Rico will be
required to be stamped under the existing
revenue regulations as applied for home
consumption. or if IL can be removed under
export stamps as heretofore. In his reply
the commissioner calls attention to the
ruling of his office, to the effect that Porto
Rico is not a foreign country within the
meaning of the customs drawback law,
and that therefore no refund of duty can
be allowed by way of drawback goods
exported TO that country The commits
sioner holds that on and after May 1, 1900,
articles subject to internal revenue tax
cannot be exported to Porto Rico I'm bond
or with benefit of drawback of the tax paid
under internal revenue laws.
Assistant Secretary Spaulding also has
rendered an opinion to much the same eff
feet. He holds. first. that merchandise
cannot be Withdrawn from bonded ware
houses In the United States on and after
the I'd prox. for shipment to Porto Rico
under an export bond, because such a
shipment would not constitute an exporta-
tion within the meaning of the laws re-
lating to the bond and warehouse system.
Second, for an analogous reason, merchan-
disc manufactured In the United States
from imported materials cannot be shipped
to Porto Rico on and after the I'd prox.
with benefit of drawback. Third. bags of
sugar shipped from the United States TO
Porto Rico will be entitled to free entry
on and after the I'd prox.
Commissioner Chamberlain, of the Navi-
cation Bureau, has issued a circular to the
effect that pursuant to Section of the
Porto Rican act vessels entering the United
States from Porto Rico from and after
May ], 1900, or entering Porto Rico from
the United States. will be exempt from,
ton .1 No.
sells entering Porto Rico elsewhere than
from the United States will be subject to
tonnage taxes. as provided by the laws of
the United States.
The Senate committee on agriculture has
reported the agricultural appropriation
bill to the Senate. AS reported. the bill
carries total appropriation of s3,95s, 12O
which is a net increase of only SOD 800
The Senate really added items amounting
to $S2.S2O, but by diminishing the House ap.
preparation for the purchase OF seed TO the
extent of $4,000 and that for Agricultural
Department publications to the extent OF
| $4,000, the net increase was reduced. The
principal items of increase are $4,000 fol
forestry Investigations and $4,000 for ir.
| rigation Investigations. Among the amend
ments are the following: To continue the
| investigation of the soils of the United
States; to investigate the tests applied tc
| tries; to increase the salary of the chief OF
the weather bureau to 5000 per annum.
In compliance with a resolution of In
| quiry, the secretary OF the navy to-day
sent to the Senate statement showins
| the assignment of commissioned officer.
| in the navy on the 31st of last December
| OF the $50 officers of the line there wer,
| $50 on duty at sea, 365 on shore duty
thirty-nine on leave or waiting orders
| fourteen on sick leave twelve detailed t
| nautical school ships and three on specia
| duty. The statement shows one admira
| who is on shore duty and eighteen real
| admirals of whom fourteen are on shore
| Another statement gives the number o
< officers on duty at the navy yards, nava
| stations, etc, during the month of Marcel
| as 365. At that time sixty-four vessels
were undergoing repairs at the navy yards
/
| Responding TO a resolution of inquiry
| the attorney general to-day sent commu
nication TO the Senate in relation to tn
| case of Jorge Cruz, the resident of Port
! Rico brought to the United States under
| contract TO labor In this country TIL
| attorney general says that no action ha
| been taken in the case except 10 provid
| for the defense of the commissioner of i'm
| migration in the suit brought to recove
| $4,000 damages Tor his detention. He add
! that he has In contemplation the com
| mencement of suit TO recover penalt,
of 81 900 against the party bringing Cruz L
the United States.
The judiciary committee OF the Hous
to-day directed a favorable report on tn
bill providing means of indemnifying for
eigners injured in person or propert