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Lenten service tonight at 7.30 in the Lutheran Church in Christiansted. All are cordially invited. J. P. CHRISTENSEN. 68TH CONGRESS, 18T SESSION. S 2786 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. MARrcH 10, 1924. Mr. McLEAN (by request) introduced the following bill; whish was read twice and referred to the Co nmittee on Territories and Insualar Possessions. A BILL to provide a civil government for the Virgin Islands, and for other purposes. (Continued from yesierday's Avis.) SEC. 11. That the following executive departments are hereby created: A de- pirtment of justice, the head of which slall be designated a3 the attorney gen- e.al; a)decpatm>nt of finance, the head of which shall be designated the treaa- urer, a department of educatisn, the h2ad of which shall be designat2d the commissioner of education; a department of azricuiture and labor, the head of which shall be designated the commis- sioner of agriculture and libor; and a department of henlth, the head of which shall be design ed the commissioner of health. The heads of departmants shal pe sappointed by tne gnvernor, and shall hold cffice for three years unless sooner removed by the governor, The heads of departments shall per- form. under the general supervision of the governor,:{ the duties hercinafter prescribed or which may be hereafter prescribed by law, and such other duties, not inconsistent with law, as the gov- ernor, with the approvai of sthe Presi- dent, may assign to them; and they shall make annual and such §rther reports to the governor, as he may require, which ghall be transmitted to the executive de- partment of the Government of the United States, to be designated by the President. as herein provided. SEc 12. That the. attorney general shall have charge of the administration of justice in the Virgin [slands; he shall be legal adviser of the governor and the heads of the departments and#shall be responsible forth: proper representation of the people of the Virgin Islands or its daly consdtuted officers in ali actions and proceedings, civil or ecriminal, in which the peopie of the Virgin Islands shall be interestod or a party; and the may, it directed by th2 goveraor or if in his jud2ment the public interest requires it. represent the people of the Virgin Isiands o its duly constitu*ed officers 11 ST CROULILE AN any other court or befere any other oficer or board in any action or proceed- ings, civil or criminal, in which the peo- ple of the Virgin Islands may b 2 a party or be interested He shall also perform such other duties pot inconsistent here- with as may be prescribed by law. SEC. 13, That tiffptreasurer shall give bond, approved as to form, by the attor- ney *zaneral of the Virgin Islands, in such sum as the council may require, not less, however, than the sum of SIO.OOO, with surety or sureties approved by the governcer, and he {shall collect and be the custodian of public jfunds and shall disburse the same in accordance with law, on warrants signed by a head of department and countersigned by the governor, and perform such other du- ties as may be provided by law. He may designate bankingZ institutions in the. Virgin Islands and the United States as depositaries of the government of the Virgin Islands, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the governor, after they have filed with him satisfac- tory evidence of their financial condition and have depnsited security satisfactory to the governor in such amount as may hs indicated by him; and no banking in- stitution shall b 2 designated a vepositary of the government of the Virgin Islands until the foregoing conditions have been complied with. Interest on deposiis shall be required and paid into the treasury. 3gc 14. That the commissioner of education shall superintend public in- struction throughout the Virgin Islands; and all proposed disbursemenis on ocC: count thereof mast be approved by him, and ali eourses of study shall be pre- pared by him, subj=ct to disapproval by the governor if he cares to act. He shall prepare rules governing the selection of teachers and the appointments of teach- ers by local authorities shall be subject to his approval, and he shall perform such other duties, not inconsistent with this Act, a3 ma’ b 2 prescribed by law. Sge. 15, Th2 commissioner of agricul- ture and labor shall superintend all works of a public narure, have charge of all public buildings, grounds, and lands, shall have general charge of such bareaus and branches 07 governm2nt as have been or shali be legally constituted for the study, advancem2nt, and b2nefit of agricuitural and other induastries, and shall foster, promote, and develop the agricultural interests and the welfare of the wage earners of the Virgin Islands, to improve theic working conditions, and to advance their opportuanities for profit- able employment, and shall perforwa such ;)ther duties as may be prescrivpaed by aw. Sgc. 17. That the commissioner of heaith shall have general icharge of all matters relating to public health, sanita- tion. and charities, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law. Sec. 18. That there shall bo appoint- ed by the governor an executive secre- tary at an annual salary of $2,000, who <ha.l record and preserve the laws enact- ed by the council and all acts and pro- ceedings of the governor, andépromulzate all proclamations and orders as the gov- ernor and all laws enacted by the legisla- ture, and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Governor of the Virgin Islards. In the event of a vacaney in the office, or the absence, or illness, temporary disqualification of such officer, the governor shall designate some afficer or employee of the govern- ment to discharge the functions of said office during such vacancy, absence, ill- ness, or temporary disqualification, SEc. 19. That the Governor of the Virgin Islands, within sixty days after the end of each session of the council shall transmit to the executive department of the Government of the United States, to be designzted a3 herein provided for, which shall in return transinit the tame to the Congress, ccpies of all laws eraci- ed during th session. SEc 20. That the President may from time to time des.gnate the head o1 an executive depariment of the Virgin Is- lands to act as governor in case «f a vacancy, the temporary removal, resig- nation, or disabiiity of the govarpnor or his temporary absence, and the heal of the department thus designated shall exercise ail the powers and perform all the duties of the governor during such vacancy, disability, or absence. LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT. SEC 21. That all local legislative powers in the Virgin Islands shall be invested in a council which shall be designated ‘‘the Virgin Islands Council.” (To be continued.) ii e eS R o LOCAL There was a caucus meeting of the Colonial Council yesterday afternocon, the matter under discussion being the bill for civil goverament just introduced by Senator Mc Lean, aand which is the subject of an extraordinary meeting of of the two councils here tomorrow, Among the features of this bill is a pro- vision for a single council for the Virgin Islands to consist of seven members from St. Thomas, five from St. Croix andwne from St. John. The odiousness of the disparity is only too apparen'. Tais island with a larger population than the island of St. Thomas. wih great- er internal resources, greater possi- bilities of its own for development, aat even now more seif-supporiing than 3t. Thomas, and a larger island too, seems to be entitled to greater represen- tation than St. Thomas apart from the fact, which is an impor-ant one, that the affairs of this island are so different to those of St. Thommas that they shou'd always be considered separately by those fami.iar with thom and whi wsned d