Chapter 171.
1,148 words·~5 min read·
/statutes-at-large/vol-39/chapter-171-4836092·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
CHAP. 171.— AN ACT To provide a temporary government for the West Indian Islands acquired by the United States from Denmark by the convention entered into between said countries on the fourth day of August, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and ratified by the Senate of the United States on the seventh day of September, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and for other purposes. March 3, 1917.[[H. R. 20755](/us/bill/64/hr/20755).][[Public, No. 389](/us/pl/64/389).] *Be it enacted by the.
Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* That, except as hereinafter West Indian Islands. Temporary government for, acquired from Denmark. Governor.provided, all military, civil, and judicial powers necessary to govern the West Indian Islands acquired from Denmark shall be vested in a governor and in such person or persons as the President may appoint, and shall be exercised in such manner as the President shall direct until Congress shall provide for the government of said islands: *Provisos.* Assignment of Army or Navy officer.Concurrence of Senate.Pay, etc.*Provided,* That the President may assign an officer of the Army or Navy to serve as such governor and perform the duties appertaining to said office: *And provided further,* That the governor of the said islands shall be appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate: *And provided further,* That the compensation of all poisons appointed under this Act shall be fixed by the President.
Laws, etc., not conflicting, continued in force. Sec. 2. That until Congress shall otherwise provide, in so far as compatible with the changed sovereignty and not in conflict with the provisions of this Act, the laws regulating elections and the electoral franchise as set forth in the code of laws published at Amalienborg the sixth day of April, nineteen hundred and six, and the other local laws, in force and effect in said islands on the seventeenth day of January, nineteen hundred and seventeen, shall remain in force and effect in said islands, and the same shall be administered by the civil officials and through the local Repeal, etc., with approval of President.judicial tribunals established in said islands, respectively; and the orders, judgments, and decrees of said judicial tribunals shall be duly enforced.
With the approval of the President, or under such rules and regulations as the President may 1133prescribe, any of said laws may be repealed, altered, or amended by the colonial council having jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of the Judicial proceedings.judicial tribunals of said islands shall extend to all judicial proceedings and controversies in said islands to which the United States or any citizen thereof may be a party. In all cases arising in the said Cases to circuit court of appeals.West Indian Islands and now reviewable by the courts of Denmark, writs of error and appeals shall be to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and, except as provided in sections two hundred Effect of judgments, etc.
Vol. 36, p. 1157.and thirty-nine and two hundred and forty of the Judicial Code, the judgments, orders, and decrees of such court shall be final in all such cases. Sec. 3. That on and after the passage of this Act there shall be Imports from, subject to taxes.levied, collected, and paid upon all articles coming into the United States or its possessions, from the West Indian Islands ceded to the United States by Denmark, the rates of duty and internal-revenue taxes which are required to be levied, collected, and paid upon like articles imported from foreign countries: *Provided,* That all articles, *Proviso.* Articles of native, or United States, origin, admitted free.Conditions.the growth or product of, or manufactured in such islands from materials the growth or product of such islands or of the United States, or of both, or which do not contain foreign materials to the value of more than twenty per centum of their total value, upon which no drawback of customs duties has been allowed therein, coming into the United States from such islands shall hereafter be admitted free of duty.
Sec. 4. That until Congress shall otherwise provide all laws now Continuance of local tax laws.imposing taxes in the said West Indian Islands, including the customs laws and regulations, shall, in. so far as compatible with the changed sovereignty and not otherwise herein provided, continue in force and effect, except that articles the growth, product, or manufacture Except on articles of United States.of the United States shall be admitted there free of duty: *Provided,* That upon exportation of sugar to any foreign country, or *Proviso.* Export duty on sugar.the shipment thereof to the United States or any of its possessions, there shall be levied, collected, and paid thereon an export duty of 58 per ton of two thousand pounds irrespective of polariscope test, in hen of any export tax now required by law.
Sec. 5. That the duties and taxes collected in pursuance of this Duties, etc., collected to be used for insular expenses.Act shall not be covered into the general fund of the Treasury of the United States, but shall be used and expended for the government and benefit of said islands under such rules and regulations as the President may prescribe. Sec. 6. That for the purpose of taking over and occupying said Appropriation for expenses of taking possession, etc.islands and of carrying this Act into effect and to meet any deficit in the revenues of the said islands resulting from the provisions of this Act the sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated, to be paid out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and to be applied under the direction of the President of the United States.
Sec. 7. That the sum of $25,000,000 is hereby appropriated, out Appropriation for payment to Denmark.of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be paid In the city of Washington to the diplomatic representative or other agent of His Majesty the King of Denmark duly authorized to receive said money, in full consideration of the cession of the Danish West Indian Islands to the United States made by the convention *Post,* p. 1706.between the United States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark entered into August fourth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and ratified by the Senate of the United States on the seventh day of September, nineteen hundred and sixteen.
Sec. 8. That this Act, with the exception of section seven, shall be In effect upon payment of consideration.in force and effect and become operative immediately upon the payment by the United States of said sum of 825,000,000. The fact and date of such payment shall thereupon be made public by a proclamation issued by the President and published in the said 1134 Payment immediately.Danish West Indian Islands and in the United States. Section seven shall become immediately effective and the appropriation thereby provided for shall be immediately available.
Approved, March 3, 1917.