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WEST END MOVIES Sunday night 8.45 “The Scarlet Car” COMEDY “Rip Snoring Night” Lo Tk Renls . . .. ... ... 0000 681 CONGRESS, 18T SESSION. S 5 2786 IN THE SENATE Os THE UNITED STATES MARCH 10, 1924, Mr. McLEAN (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Territories and Insular Possessions. A BILL ty provide a civil government for the Viegin Islands, and for other purposes. (Concluded from yesterday’s Avis.) If any bill presented to the governor contains several items for the appropri- ation of money he may object to one or more of such ilems, or any part or parts, portion or porticns thereof, while ap- proving of the other portion of the bill. In such case he shall append to the bill, at the time of signing it, a statement of the items, parts, or portions thereof to which he objeets,and the appropriation so objected to shall not take effect. If any bill shail not be returned by the governor within ten days (Sunday excepted) after i shall have been presented to him, it shall be alaw in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the legislature by adjournment prevents its return, In waoich case it shall be a law if signed by tue governor within thirty days after yeceipt by bim; otherwise it shall not bhe a law. Alilaws enacted by the Council of the Vugin lslands shall be report- ed to the Congress of the United States, which hereby reserves the pow- er and autho ity to annul the same. if at the termination of any fiscal vear the appropriations necessary for the support of the government for the epsuing fiscal year shall not have been made, then the several sums appropri- ated in the last apprcpriation bills for the objects and purposes therein speci- fied, so far as the same may be applica- ble,shall be deemed to be reappropriated, item by item; and until the legisiature shall act in such behalf, the creasurer shall, with the advice of the governor, make the payments necessary for the purpose a‘oresaid. ST CiL 12 AP Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings and may, in its discretion, from time to time publish the same, and the yeas and nays on any question shzll, on the demand of one-fifth of the mem- hers present be entered on the journal. The general appropriation bill shatl embrace nothing but appropriations for the or<inary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments, io- terest on the public debt, and for public schools. All other appr®priations shall be made by separate bills, each embrae- ing but one stbject. Sec. 29. That at the first eleetion keld pursuant to this Act, the gualified eiec- tors shall be those having the qualifica- tions under the present law. Thereafter voters shall be citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age or over, and have such additiona’ qualifications as may be preseribad3by the Council of the Virgin Isiands: Provided, That no property qualifications shall ever be im- posed upon or required of any voter; nor shall any discrimination in qualification be made or based upon difference in color., Src 30. That the legislative anthority herein provided shall extend to all mat- ters not iocally inapplicable, including power to create, consolidate, and re- organize the municipzalities so far as necessary, and to provide and repeal laws and_ordinances therefor; also the power (o alter, amend, muodity, or repeal any or all laws and ordinances of every character now in force in the Virgin Is- lands or municipality or district th2reof, in so far as such alteration, amendment, modification, or repeal may be consistent with the provisions of this Aet. Sgc. 31. That the judicial power shall be rested in the courts and tribunals of the Virgin Islands now established and in operation under and by virtue of existing laws. The jurisdiciion of said courts ard the form of procedure in them and the various officers and attaches thereof, shall also continue to be as now provided until otherwise provided by law: Provided, how ver, That the Coun- cil of the Virgin Islands shall have zu- thority from time to titne, as it may ee fit, not inconsistent with this Act, to or- granize, modily, or rearrange the courts and their jurisdiction and proredure, ex- cept that the right of review of any deci- sion by writ of error or appeial as pro- vided in section 2 of chapter 171 of the Statu es at Large of the United States (Act of March 3, 1917, to provide ay tem- porary government for the West Indian Is'ands acquired by the United States from Denmark) shail pot be abridged, altered, or destroyed. MISCELLANEQUS PROVISIONS. SEc. 32. That, except in the Act otherwise proviced, the salaries of all officials of the Virgin Isiands not ap- pointed by the President shull be such and Y so paid out ~f the revenues of the Virgin Islands as shall from time to time be determined by the Council of the Vir- gin Jslands ani approved by the gov- ernor: and if the legislature shall fail to make an appropriationgfor isuch salaries, the salaries thevetofore fixed shall be paid without the necessity of appropri- ations therefor. The salaries of all offie- ers of the various officials appointed as herein provided by the President shall be paid by the Treasurer of the United States. The annnual salary of the gov- ernor shall be $7,000. @nd he shallf be en- titled to the occupancy of the building heretofore used by the chief exectiv2 of the Virgin Islands, with the furnitute and effects therein free of rental. Where any officer of the Virgin Islands is required by this Act to give a bond, the premium thereof shall be paid from the insular treasury. SEC. 39. That nothing in this Act shall be deemed to impair or interrupt the jurisdiction of existing courts cver matters pending therein, upon the ap- proval of this Act, which jurisdiction is in all respects hereby continued, the pur- pose of this Act being to preserve the in- tegrity of ail of said courts and their jurisdiction until otherwise provided by law, SEc. 40. That this Act shall take ef- fect thirty days after its passage. SEC. 41. That the laws and ordin- ances now in force in the Virgin Islands shall continue in force and effect, except as altered, amended, or modified hercin, until altered, amaended, or repealed by the legislative authority herein provided for the Virgin Jslands or by Act of Con- gress of the United States; and such Jegislative authority shall have power when pot inconsistent with this Act, to amend, alter, modify, or repeal any law or ordinance, civil or eriminal, continued in force by :his Act, as from time to time it may see fit. Sec. 42. That all laws or parts of laws applicable to the Virgin Islands not in conflict with any of the provisions of this Act, including the laws relating to tariffs, customs, znd revenues, are here- by countinu d in effect, and all laws ang parts of laws inconsistent with the pro- visions of this Act are hereby repeale . LOCAL The joint meetinx of the Colonial Con- cils of ‘he Virgin Islards yesterday vas presided over by the chairman of the >t Croix council, Hon. R . Merwin, by i:c- tion. The secretary of the St. Thon:as council dischargec¢ the dunes of that office. Practically ail the members of both ccuncils were present. After a heated discussion a resolution previously drafted by the St. Croix Council protest- ing against the presage of tae sepate bili No. 2763 to provide a civil government for the Virgin Islands and tor other pur- poses, was voted {oy by th: majori:y.