Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-24
TARIFF ON |STHMUS
Order Issued by the Presi-
dents Direction.
COLLECTING DUTIES
SECRETARY TAFT's LETTER TO
CHAIRMAN WALKER.
Provision to Be Made for Reciprocity
With Panama-The Proposed
Postal Service.
COLLECTING DUTIES

/
| As a result Of cabinet discussion. Secre-
| tary Taft today issued order making the
| terms of the Dingley act as to tariff rates
| applicable to the canal strip on the Isthmus
| OF Panama.
Secretary Taft also issued another order
providing for the establishment of post Of
| 1ces on the canal strip.
Secretary Taft's Order.
! Secretary Taft's order as to tariff rates
| in the Panama canal zone is embodied In a
letter to Rear Admiral Walker U. 8. NJ re-
| tired chairman of the isthmian canal COM
mission, as follows:
| BY direction of the President 1t is
| dered
| Section l. The territory of the canal zone
| of the Isthmus of Panama is hereby de-
| clared open to the commerce of all friendly
| nations All articles. goods and wares. not
| included In the prohibited list entering at
| the established customs ports, will be ad-
| United upon payment Of such customs du-
ties and other charges as are in force at
the time and place of their importation.
| Sec For the purposes Of customs ad-
mfnistration in said canal zone there are
| hereby established two collection districts,
| as follows:
First. The district Of Ancon, comprising
| the southern half of said canal zone.
The port Of entry in said district shall
| be Ancon.
Second. The district of Crystobal, COM
prising the northern half Of said canal
| zone.
| 1.-The port of entry in said district shall
| be Crystobal
| Canal Zone Customs Service.
| Section 3. There is hereby created and
shall be maintained in the government of
the canal a subdivision of the execu-
| tive branch to be known as the customs
! service; the general duties powers and
| Jurisdiction of the customs service shall
| be to administer the customs laws and tar
| if regulations in force in said zone The
| governor of the canal zone shall be the
| head of the customs service.
| There shall be collector of customs for
| each collection district. who shall receive
an annual salary Of 81 800 in gold. payable
| in monthly installmcnts. 1t shall be the
| duty OF the collector to collect all reve-
| rueS derived from the enforcement of the
| customs laws and tariff regulations in the
| district subject to his Jurisdiction and to
perform such other service in the admins
| trat1On OF such laws as Is ordinarily per-
formed by collector Of customs he
| may be required to perform by the governor
| CT the canal zone.
| The collector of customs shall be appoint
| ed by the governor, with the advice and
| consent of the isthmian commission. The
| governor Of the canal zone Is hereby au-
| thorized to appoint and fix the compensa-
ton of deputy collectors, surveyors Of GUS
ployes as may be necessary for the efficient
administration of the customs laws and
| service.
| Administration of Law.
| Section 4. The governor Of the canal
zone Is hereby authorized and empowered
| to prescribe and enforce rules and regula-
| lions for the administration of the customs
| laws and service of said zone, and report
| the same to the chairman Of the commits
| sion, and said rules and regulations shall
| have the force and effect of law until
nulled or modified by legislative act of the
| iSthmian canal commission or other COM
petent authority.
Section s. Until otherwise provided by
| competent authority, duties on importa-
| lions into the canal zone are to be levied
| in conformity with such duties as Congress
| has imposed upon foreign merchandise i'm
| ported into other ports Of the United Staes.
Goods From United States.
| Section G. Goods or merchandise enter
| ing the canal zone from ports Of the United
| States or insular possessions of the United
States shall be admitted on the same terms
| as at the ports of the states Of this Union.
Section Z. All goods merchandise.
| whether free or dutiable, entering the canal
zone by water by rail or otherwise, for trans
portation across said zone. must be entered
| at the customs house of the collection dis
trict wherein the point of entrance Is stu,
ated. Violation Of this requirement shall
| subject the goods to seizure and forfeiture
| by the customs officials.
| Section s. The governor of the canal
| zone Is authorized to enter and carry out
| an agreement with the president of the re-
| public of Panama for cooperation between
| the customs service of the canal zone and
| that of the republic of Panama to protect
| the customs revenues of both governments
and to prevent frauds and smuggling.
Reciprocity With Panama.
| Section g. The governor of the canal
| zone is hereby authorized to enter upon
| negotiations and make a tentative agree
| ment with the president or the republic or
| Panama respecting reciprocal trade rela-
lions between the territory and inhabitants
I of the canal zone and appurtenant
| territory and the republic of Panama
also a readjustment OF customs duties
and tariff regulations as to
| secure uniformity of rates and privileges
and avoid the disadvantages resulting
| from different schedules, duties and ad-
ministrative measures in limited terri
| tory subject to the same conditions and
| not separated by natural obstacles. The
governor shall report to such negotia-
| ton and proposed agreement to the chair
man of the iSthmian canal commission
| for submission and consideration by the
commission and such action by competent
authority as may be necessary to render
said agreement effective in the canal
zone.
This order will be proclaimed and en-
forced in the canal zone at Panama.
WIN. H. TAFT. Secretary of War"
Establishing Postal Service.
The order for the establishment of post
offices in the Panama canal zone is as fol-
lows:
THE necessities Of the inhabitants and
the due administration of the affairs of
government in the canal zone at Panama
| require the establishment of post offices
and postal service In that territory.
ut Is therefore ordered: That a post Office
be established in each of the following
| named towns of the canal zone, to wit:
Crystobal Gatun. Boheo, Gorgona, Bias
Obispo. Empire Culebra, La Boca and An
con.
THE post offices at Crystobal and Ancon
shall be money order offices.
THE governor of the canal zone Is hereby
authorized to appoint postmasters for the |
post offices herein established and fix the |
compensation therefor. subject to the ap-
prevail of the tsthmian canal commission.
THE governor Of the canal zone is direct
ed to formulate plan for practical and
efficient rostal service in said canal zone,
and including such measures and provisions
OF the POSTAL service of the United States as |
are NOT inapplfcable to the conditions of
law and fact existing in the canal zone, and |
to report said plan to the chairman of the |
fSthmtdn canal commission for Such action |