WILLIAM McKINLEY.
By the President:
JOHN HAY,
Secretary of State.
[CESSATION OF TARIFF—PORTO RICO.]
Whereas, by an act of Congress, approved April 12, 1900, entitled "an Act Temporarily to Provide Revenues and a Civil Government for Porto Rico and for other Purposes," it was provided that, "whenever the legislative assembly of Porto Rico shall have enacted and put into operation a system of local taxation to meet the necessities of the government of Porto Rico, by this act established, and shall by resolution duly passed so notify the President, he shall make proclamation thereof, and thereupon all tariff duties on merchandise and articles going into Porto Rico from the United States or coming into the United States from Porto Rico shall cease, and from and after such date all such merchandise and articles shall be entered at the several ports of entry free of duty;" and
Whereas by the same act it was provided, "that as soon as a civil government for Porto Rico shall have been organized in accordance with the provisions of this act, and notice thereof shall have been given to the President, he shall make proclamation thereof, and thereafter all collections of duties and taxes in Porto Rico under the provisions of this act shall be paid into the treasury of Porto Rico, to be expended as required by law for the government and benefit thereof, instead of being paid into the Treasury of the United States;" and
Whereas the legislative assembly of Porto Rico has enacted and put into operation a system of local taxation to meet the necessities of the government of Porto Rico as aforesaid, and has passed and caused to be communicated to me the following resolution:
A Joint Resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico, notifying the President of the United States that the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico has enacted and put into operation a system of local taxation to meet the necessities of the Government of Porto Rico, established by act of Congress, entitled "An act temporarily to provide revenues and a Civil Government for Porto Rico, and for other purposes," duly approved April 12th, 1900:
Be it Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico:
Whereas: A civil government for Porto Rico has been fully and completely organized in accordance with the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act temporarily to provide revenues and a civil government for Porto Rico, and for other purposes," duly approved April 12th, 1900, and:
Whereas: It was provided by the terms of said act of Congress, that whenever the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico shall have enacted and put into operation a system of local taxation to meet the necessities of the Government of Porto Rico, by the aforesaid act established, and shall by resolution duly passed so notify the President, he shall make proclamation thereof, and thereupon all tariff duties on merchandise and articles going into Porto Rico from the United States, or coming into the United States from Porto Rico shall cease, and from and after such date all such merchandise and articles shall be entered at the several ports of entry free of duty: