Statement of Business in the Several Departments. Circular in Regard to Resignations. Alphabetical list of Cities and Towns.. Roll of House of Delegates..... ACTS OF CONGRESS CONCERNING PORTO RICO. ORGANIC ACT. The Act of the 12th of April, 1900, provides a civil government for Porto Rico, temporary revenues for the same, and other matters incidental thereto. The territory under the jurisdiction of the Government of Porto Rico includes the island of that name and the adjacent islands lying east of the seventy-fourth meridian, ceded by Spain to the United States. Citizens of Porto Rico include those persons who were Spanish subjects on the date the Treaty of Paris was ratified and resided in the islands, and all children subsequently born, except such persons as have claimed their allegiance to the Crown of Spain in accordance with the Treaty. The people of Porto Rico include the citizens of said island and such citizens of the United States as may reside there. All the laws of the island not in conflict with those of the United States are continued in force by the Organic Act, until modified or repealed by the Legislative Assembly. The Governor of Porto Rico, the Secretary, the Attorney General, the Treasurer, the Auditor, the Commissioner of the Interior, the Commissioner of Education, five native members of the Council, the Chief Justice, the four Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, the United States District Judge, the United States District Attorney, and the United States Marshal are appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for the period of four years. The Governor has the powers usually granted to the Territorial Governors, including the power to veto any Bill passed by the Legislative Assembly. The Executive Council is composed of the Secretary of Porto Rico, the Attorney General, the Treasurer, the Auditor, the Commissioner of the Interior, the Commissioner of Education, and five native members appointed by the President. The Council constitutes the upper house of the Legislative Assembly, and has, besides, power to make grants of franchises, rights, privileges and concessions of a public or quasi public nature, with the approval of the Governor, and in certain cases of the President of the United States, subject to the power of Congress to annul or modify the same. The House of Delegates is composed of thirty-five members, elected by the qualified voters of Porto Rico, to serve for two years. The Judges of the District Courts and other inferior courts are appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council. A resident Commissioner to the United States is elected by the people of Porto Rico biennially. He is required to be a bona fide citizen of Porto Rico, thirty years of age and able to read and write English. This Act of Congress makes the city of San Juan the capital of the island; nationalizes all vessels of Porto Rico; provides for the retiring of Porto Rican coins; the appointment of a Code Commission to codify the laws; and the establishment of a quarantine station, and prohibits the Island of Porto Rico or any municipality thereof incurring a public indebtedness in excess of seven per centum of the aggregate tax valuation of its property. It also prescribes the duties of the several heads of departments, and fixes their salaries as well as those of other officials appointed by the President. The salaries of the officials in Porto Rico, as prescribed by the Acts of Congress, are as follows: The governor, eight thousand dollars. The secretary, four thousand dollars. The attorney general, four thousand dollars. The treasurer, five thousand dollars. The commissioner of the interior, four thousand dollars. The commissioner of education, four thousand dollars. The chief justices of the Supreme Court, five thousand dollars. The associate justices of the Supreme Court, four thousand five hundred dollars. The marshal of the Supreme Court, three thousand dollars. The United States district attorney, four thousand dollars. The United States marshal, three thousand five hundred dollars. Members of the House of Delegates, five dollars per day and mileage. The tariff duties levied by the Organic Act are fixed at the same rate as those of the United States, except on merchandise passing between Porto Rico and the United States, and these are reduced to fifteen per centum of the regular tariff schedule. Coffee imported into Porto Rico pays a duty of five cents per pound. Spanish scientific, literary and artistic works and books in the English language imported from the United States, are admitted free of duty. It is further provided that whenever the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico shall enact and put into operation a system of local taxation, sufficient to pay the expenses of the Government, and by resolution notify the President thereof, that all tariff duties on merchandise passing between the island and the United States shall cease, and in no event shall any duty be collected on such goods after the first day of March, nineteen hundred and two. The Act further provides that all duties and taxes collected in Porto Rico, less the cost of collection, and the gross amounts of all duties and |