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