Amendment to the act providing a temporary government for the Virgin Islands. February 15, 1927. -- Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed;U.S. Congressional Serial Set No. 8689 - House Reports, Vol. 2
-69TH CONGRESS t HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 5 REPORT 2e1 Session f t No. 2095 AMENDMENT TO THE ACT PROVIDING A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FEBRUARY 15, 1927.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. KIESS, from the Committee on Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 17142] The Committee on Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 17142) to amend section 4 of the act to provide a temporary government for the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1917, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass. This bill reduces the export tax on sugar from $8 per ton to $5 per ton. This export tax was established by the organic act of March 3, 1917, which provided for the government by the United States of the Virgin Islands. It was originally imposed in order to provide revenue for the islands. Its effect has been to work a great hardship on the sugar growers of the islands, who are placed at a great disadvantage to the sugar growers of Porto Rico. …
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-69TH CONGRESS t HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 5 REPORT 2e1 Session f t No. 2095 AMENDMENT TO THE ACT PROVIDING A TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT FOR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FEBRUARY 15, 1927.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed Mr. KIESS, from the Committee on Insular Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 17142] The Committee on Insular Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 17142) to amend section 4 of the act to provide a temporary government for the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes, approved March 3, 1917, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass. This bill reduces the export tax on sugar from $8 per ton to $5 per ton. This export tax was established by the organic act of March 3, 1917, which provided for the government by the United States of the Virgin Islands. It was originally imposed in order to provide revenue for the islands. Its effect has been to work a great hardship on the sugar growers of the islands, who are placed at a great disadvantage to the sugar growers of Porto Rico. The entire amount collected under this tax averages under $50,000 a year, but nevertheless it is becoming increasingly evident that unless some relief is given to the sugar growers that they will be forced to dis- cwitinue. Should this happen it would cause great hardship in the islands, as the sugar growers provide practically the only employ- ment available. Your committee feels that the entire sugar export duty should eventually be removed. The levy of such a duty is repugnant to our principles of government and directly contrary in spirit, at least, to the clause in the Constitution that "no tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State." While your committee feels that this export duty can not be eliminated entirely at once because of the loss of revenue to the islands, it does recom- mend its reduction from $8 per ton to $5 per ton at this time, as a means of temporary relief to the sugar industry of the islands. Your committee has held extensive hearings during both sessions of this Congress, and inhabitants from the Virgin Islands, repre- senting various factions and officials of the Navy Department were heard at length. It is felt that this bill meets their approval. 0 .