Show IT ISSIGNED Pridllt Has AP1ellll ills nature to a Porto P Ricao Rh Ir LW PROVIDES Actfor Civil Government is Effective May 1st TEXT OF TARIFF SECTION Governmental Provisions Provide That Capital Shall Be at San Juan Defines the Status of Spanish Subjects Designation of the Body Politic is the People of Porto Rico Governor is to be Appointed for Tour Years President Designates Him An Executive Council is Also to be Appointed by the President Legislature Is Empowered to Enact Legislation Similar to That in Other Territories United States Distrct Court is to be Established as in Other Territories Washington April 12TIme President at 7 oclock this evening signed the Porlo RIcan tariff and Civil govern inemiblllo Only Secretary Root mid Tlr Cotcbou the assistant secretary to lie President were present A summary of the provisions of the bill follows It applies to the Island of Porto RIco and to the adjacent Islands lying cast of the seventyfourth meridian which are designated Porlo Rico From the dtte oC thai piujsagc of the aotthesanic custom duties arc levied on all goods entering Porte Rico from foreign countries coun-tries as arc levied on the same goods entering the United Stales save that of coffee which hasfreo entry Into tho United Stales Is to pay a duty of f cents per pound on entering Porlo Rico Scientific literary and artistic works and books and pamphlets printed in the English language may enter Porto Rico free of duly The tariff section of the bill relating to duties between the United Stales and Porto Rico is as follows TARIFF SECTION That on and after time passage of this act all merchandise coming into the United States from Porto Rico and coming into Porto Rico from the United States shall be entered at the several ports of entry upon payment of 15 per cent of the duties which arc required to be levied collected and paid upon like articles of merchandise imported from foreign countries and In addition thereto upon articles of merchandise of Porto RIcan manufacture manu-facture coming lino the United States and withdrawn for consumption or sale upon payment of a tax equal to the Internal revenue tax Imposed In the United Stales upon like articles of merchandise or domestic manufacture such tax to bo paid by l internal revenue stamp or stamps to In purchased nml provided by the commissioner of internal in-ternal revenue and to be procured from the collector of Internal revenue at or most convenient to Ihe port of eiilry of aid merchandise In the United Stales and to bo alllxcd under such regulations as tim commissioner of Internal revenue with the approval Of the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe and on all articles of merchandise mer-chandise of United Slates manufacture coming into Porto Rico in addition to the duty above provided upon payment pay-ment of a tax equal in rate and amount to the Internal revenue tax Imposed Im-posed in Porto Rico upon the like arll cbs of Porto RIcan manufacture WHEN IT SHALL CEASE Provided that on and after the dale when this act shall lake effect all merchandise and articles except coffee not dutiable under the tariff laws of the United States and all merchandise and articles entered Into Porto Rico free of duly 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 duly all laws or parts of laws to the contrary nollthHtanding and whenever the legislative assembly of Porto Rico shall have enacted and put Into operation a system of local taxation taxa-tion to meat the necessities of the Coy ornmenL of Porto Rico by this act established es-tablished and hlmll by resolution duly passid so notify the PresIdent he small make proclamation thereof and thereupon all tariff duties on merchandise merchan-dise and articles going Into Porto Rico from the United States or coming Into the United Htntes from Poito Rico and from and after such dale all such merchandise mer-chandise and articles shall bo filtered nl the several ports of entry free of duty and In no event shall any duties bo collected from the 1st day of March 1002 on merchandise and articles going Into Porte Rlso from the United States of coming Into the United Stale fnjm Porlo Rico TO BE USED FOR ISLAND Time duties roll cted under the above section aim I be placed at the dipoU of the President to be used for the Government and benefit of Porto Rico until the Government of Porto Rico I hall have been organized when the moneys collected shall be turned Into I the local treasury of Porto Rico Goods Imported from Porto Rico anti under bond shall p3 only the duty imposed I by this act GOVERNMENTAL PROVISIONS The Governmental provisions of the bill are The capital shall be at San Juan Persons who were Spanish sub I JrcU April U iBJiUancI who have not UtJUtfto uwitttW ihjtlr HltcfrUincir lu 1 SpaJir aie hildLUxJ citiZenS of Iorto I I Rico and entitled ip tin pm ocllon of I hi T state JTHo i Hration QITth lodypoUtic Is under the name The people of Porto Rico The laws anil ordinances of Porto Rico now In force shall continue In full force and effect except uS alteredby this act or by military orders anil whlchi are not Inconsistent with the laws of the United States MINISTERS MAY MARRY The old law forbidding the marriage of prlestii and ministers la repealed The vessels of Porto Rico are to bo nationalized and admitted to the bone Ills of the United States coasting laws Quarantine stations arc to be established estab-lished Porlo Rico coin to be rated the peso being rated at CO cents In the exchange Three months after the aqt takca effect Porto Rico coins are not to be legal tender Properly usually under the control of the United States will so continue and other prpparlloa acquired from Spain will be administered by the Porto Rican Government GOVERNOR FOR ISLAND The Governor Is to be appointed by time President and hold hlK office for four years having the powers conferred con-ferred on Governors of Territories of the United States but Is to make his reports through the Secretary of State to the President An executive coitn fll appointed by the President and confirmed con-firmed by the Senate consisting of a Secretary AttorneyGeneral Treasurer Treas-urer Auditor Commissioners of Interior Inte-rior nnd 3Mucaiion and live other persons per-sons lo hold olllce for font yours REGARDING THE LEGISLATURE The Council Is the upper Imnch of the Legislature five of whom shall be natives na-tives of Porto Rico The other branch shall be a House oC Delegates lo consist of thlrlyllve members elected blanmmlly by the qualified electors Porto Rico divided Into seven dIstricts each with live Delegates The quali Heat ions for voters are al such elections all citizensof Porto Rico shall be allowed to vote who have been bona ildc residents for one year and who possess other qualifications of voters under lie lawH and military orders in force on March 1 19dO subject sub-ject to such modifications and additional addi-tional qualifications and such regulations regula-tions and restrictions as lo registration aw may bo prescribed by time executive council No person shall be eligible to membership mem-bership In the House of Delegates who Is not 25 years oC age and able to read and write either he Spanish or the English language or who la not pos cssed in hli own right of taxallvc properly real or personal situated In Porlo Rico ENACTING LEGISLATION Provision Is made for enacting legislation leg-islation similar to that In other Territories Terri-tories The judicial power Is vested In courts already established lie Chief lusliue and Auboclale Justice and Marshal Mar-shal to be appointed by thu President Judges of the District courts and other officers by the Governor of Porto Rico There Is also a United States District court established l similar 10 other Territories The salaries of all olllcors appointed by the President arjj Governor SOOO Secretary Attorney General and CormnUttiloncr of the Interior In-terior 1000 each Treasurer oQOO Commissioner of Education IOQO Chief Justice of Supreme court and United Stales DistrIct Judgc000 I each Associate Justlco 1500 eachTwo Marshals each 3000 DlUrlct Attorney 1000 No export dulles arc to be collected but taxes and licenses may bo levied COMMISSIONER TO 1JE ELECTED On the regular electloji day In November No-vember and very two years thereafter Porto Rico may choose a Commissioner Commission-er to represent lie Island at Washington Washing-ton salary 5000 A commission of three members one a native of Porto Rico is to be named lo revise and codify the bawd of Porto Rico The act for a civil government Is togo to-go Into effect May 3 1000 |