I enclose herewith copies of Executive Order No. 280 creating the
Dominican Tariff Commission. This Commission is now at work on a
report to be submitted to the Military Governor recommending a
reduction of the tariff on imports, due regard to be had to the
provisions of the American–Dominican Convention of 1907.
[Enclosure]
Executive Order No. 280, April 7, 1919, of
the Military Government of Santo Domingo, Creating the
Dominican Tariff Commission
1. By virtue of the powers vested in the Military Government of
Santo Domingo, a commission to be known as “The Dominican Tariff
Commission” is hereby created for the purpose of preparing a
revision of the Dominican Customs Tariff for the consideration
and approval of the Military Governor.
2. The Commission will be composed of:
- Chairman, J. H. Edwards,
Special Deputy General Receiver.
- Member, Alfredo Ricart y O.,
Para Camara de Comercio Santo Domingo.
- Member, Julio Senior, Special
Inspector Customs Receivership.
- Member, R. A. Alburquerque,
Interventor de Aduana Santo Domingo.
- Member, R. H. Vorfeld, From
Washington, D. C.
- Secretary, L. E. Lavandier,
Official Translator Customs Receivership.
3. The Commission shall have its headquarters at the city of
Santo Domingo in the office designated for that purpose by the
Secretaria de Estado de Hacienda y Comercio, and will be called
to meet by the Chairman at as early a date as practicable after
the issuance of this order. The work of the Commission shall be
conducted under the direction of the Chairman in accordance with
instructions to be issued from time to time by the Military
Governor.
4. The Commission is hereby authorized and directed to examine
and make use of the statistical and other data compiled by the
General Receiver of Dominican Customs relating to importations,
exportations, and the application of the present tariff thereon;
to consult with and invite suggestions from the General Receiver
of Dominican Customs, importers, exporters, and other interested
parties; and, in its discretion, to hold special sessions for
hearing arguments on debatable points.
5. In order that the business interests involved may have as much
time as possible in which to prepare for the inauguration of the
revised tariff, the Commission is directed to submit its report
not later than September 1, 1919, in such form that the new
tariff may be published not later than October 1, 1919, to
become effective on January 1, 1920.
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6. The Commission is hereby instructed to investigate and in its
report recommend, so far as may be practicable, proper
adjustment of inequitable rates or inconsistencies in the
provisions of the present tariff; and, in general, to recommend
an appreciable reduction of the rates of duty on imported
articles which are not produced in quantity in this country and
which are ordinarily classed as necessities in contrast to
articles of luxury. In this connection the attention of the
Commission is called to the stipulation in the
American-Dominican Convention of February 8, 1907, which reads
as follows:
“Until the Dominican Republic has paid the whole amount
of the bonds of the debt its public debt shall not be
increased except by previous agreement between the
Dominican Government and the United States. A like
agreement shall be necessary to modify the import
duties, it being an indispensable condition for the
modification of such duties that the Dominican Executive
demonstrate and that the President of the United States
recognize that, on the basis of exportations and
importations to the like amount and to the like
character during the two years preceding that in which
it is desired to make such modification, the total net
customs receipts would at such altered rates of duties
have been for each of such two years in excess of the
sum of $2,000,000.00 United States gold.”
and the Commission is directed to submit with
its report the basis for the demonstration referred to in that
stipulation.
7. The sum of $6,000.00 or such part thereof as may be necessary
is hereby made available from funds not otherwise appropriated,
to defray the expenses of the Commission; such expenses shall be
incurred only upon specific authorization in advance by the
Secretaria de Estado de Hacienda y Comercio, and vouchers drawn
in accordance with such authorizations when approved by the
Chairman of the Commission shall be paid in the usual manner and
charged to this special appropriation.
8. The Dominican Tariff Commission shall cease to exist when the
object for which it is created shall have been attained.
Thomas Snowden
Santo Domingo
, April 7,
1919.
