Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/138

 86 FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. CHS. 191, 192. 1900. N° °"P°"d““°S· SEc. 38. That no export duties shall be levied or collected on exports etT6€giSl¤*¤*€m¤Y me from Porto Rico; but taxes and assessments on property, and license ` fees for franchises, privileges, and concessions may be imposed for the purposes of the insular and municipal governments, respectively, as Bonaissueaezc. may be provided and dehned by act of the legislative assembly; and where necessary to anticipate taxes and revenues, bonds and other obligations may be issued by Porto Rico or any municipal government therein as may be provided by law to provide for expenditures authorized by law, and to protect the public credit, and to reimburse the United States for any moneys which have been or may be expended out of the emergency fund of the War Department for the relief of the industrial conditions of Porto Rico caused by the hurricane of August pmpao. eighth, eighteen hundred and nin‘ety-nine: Provided, however, That no ‘Hm“‘ public ingebtedness of Porto Rico or of any municipality thereof shall be authorized or allowed in excess of seven per centum of the aggregate tax valuation of its ro erty. » S,§$,“;‘§’”;°0°{,‘I§§Q;§ Sec. 39. That the quaiiieg voters of Porto Rico shall, on the first States. Tuesday after the first Monday of November, anno Domini nineteen hundred, and every two years thereafter, choose a resident commissioner to the United States, who shall be entitled to official recognition as such by all Departments, upon presentation to the Department of State of a certiiicate of election of the governoriof Porto Rico, and _ who shall be entitled to a salary, payable monthly b the United .qP§§§§‘E,‘f;a,i0¤,_ States, at the rate of five thousand dollars per annum: E20/aiirled, That no person shall be eligible to such election who is not a bona fide citizen of Porto Rico, who is not thirty years of age, and who does not read and write the English language. p0§*gmg§”g>gm*;n€’§; SEc. 40. That a commission, to consist of three members, at least system of govern- one of whom shall be a native citizen of Porto Rico, shall be a pointed m°m*°‘°‘ by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Sldnate, to " compile and revise the laws of Porto Rico; also the various codes of procedure and systems of municipal government now in force, and to rame and report such legislation as may be necessary to make a simple, harmonious, and economical government, establish justice and secure its prompt and efficient administration, inaugurate a general system of education and—public instruction, provide buildings and funds therefor, equalize and simplify taxation and all the methods of raising revenue, and make all other provisions that may be necessary to secure and extend the benefits of a republican form of government to all the ·""¥’“"S°*’· inhabitants of Porto Rico; and all the expenses of such commissioners, including all necessary clerks and other assistants that they may emloy, and a salary to each member of the commission at the rate of Eve thousand dollars per annum, shall be allowed and aid out of the _ treasury of Porto Rico as a part of the expenses of die government ’°¥’°" “’m““ “· of Porto Rico. And said_commission shall make full and hnal report, - in both the English and S(panish languages, of all its revisions, compilations, and recommen ations, with explanatory notes as to the changes and the reasons therefor, to the Congress on or before one year after the passage of this Act. E“°°°- Sec. 41. That this Act shall take effect and be in force from and ·- after the first day of May, nineteen hundred. Approved, April 12, 1900. April 17.1900. CHAP. 192.-An Act Making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and ‘·—;~_"i judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and one, and for other purposes. _ _ Be it enaotectby the Senate (ind Ifouse of Rqzaresentrztioes of the United u.l1§gf}§{1`§€;d$T,e$§i States of America in Congress assembled, That the_ following sums be, <€2¤r><=¤¤¤S ¤PP¤>P*l¤· and the same are hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treas- IOHS. . . . . . ury not otherwise appropriated, in full compensation for the SGYVICG