964 SIXTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 145. 1917. does not read and write the English language. In case of a vacancy in the office of Resident Commissioner by death, resignation, or otherwise, the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint a Resident Commissioner to fill the vacancy, whe; shall serie the next general election and until his successor is e ected an u e . ,,yIj°’“"“"° ‘““’°" Sec. 37. Tliiit the legislative authority herein lprovided shall F·¤¤•¤¤<1¤¤1¤¢•¤· extend to all matters of a egislative character not loca y inapplicable, including power to create, consolidate, and reorganize the municipalities so far as may be necessary, and to provide and repeal laws and ordinances therefor; also the power to alter, amend, modif , or repeal any or all laws and ordinances of every character now in fierce in Porto Rico or municipality or district thereof in so far as such alteration, amendment, modification, or repeal may be consistent with the provisions of this Act. ,,§c%Q§§f°°" '°‘ No executive department not provided for in this Act shall be created by the legis ature, but the egislature may consolidate departnéergs, or taébiolésh any department, with the consent of the President o the Uni tates. m,;}§}§_° ’°"`*°° °°‘“' Sec. 38. That allgrants of franchises, rights, and privileges of a _é’¤w¤¤. ·=<>¤¤1>¤¤1¤<>¤. public or quasi public nature shall be made y a public-service com- ` mission, consisting of the heads of executive departments, the auditor, and two commissioners to be elected by the qualified voters at the first general election to be held under this Act, and at each ’¤¤’¤¤, 9* ¤\•¤*¤*• subsequent general election thereafter. The terms of said elective commissioners elected at the first general election shall commence on the twenty-eighth day following the said general election, and the terms _ of the said elective commissioners elected at each subse uent general election shall commence on the second day of January fcchlowing their election; they shall serve for four years and until their successors °°““’°““°°“‘ are elected and qualified. Their compensation shall be $8 for each A day’s attendance on the sessions of the commission, but in no case shall they receive more than $400 each during any one year. The said commission is also empowered and directed to discharge all the hmchm gmm executive functions relating to public-service corporations heretofore •w.,¤y. 'conferred by law upon the executive council. Franchises, rights, -'*PP*°'¤*- and privileges granted by the said commission shall not be effective until alpproved by the governor, and shall be reported to Congress, which ereby reserves the power to annul or modify the same. ,,w"§t‘§’,‘§f°,,°§ The interstate-commerce Act and the several amendments made
2, p_m_v0,_3, or to be made thereto, the safety-appliance Acts and the several
p.$s4;v"o1.s6,i>,s44.' amendments made or to be made thereto, and the Act of Congress ,_ ,$§;27·*"°3’·‘ °"3“* entitled "An Act to amend an Act entitled ‘An Act to regulate com- "°*—¤”·P·7°¤· merce,’ approved February fourth, eighteen hundred and eighty- seven, an all Acts amendatory thereof, by providing for a valuation of the several classes of property of earners sub`ect thereto and securing information concerning their stocks, bonds, and other securities," approved March first, nineteen hundred and thirteen, shall Mmmm m, mb not apply to Porto Rico. melanie umm. The Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico is hereby authorized to enact laws relating to the reigulation of the rates, tariffs, and service of. public carriers y rail in orto Rico, and the Public-Service Com-
- x;ssI;pInril§1éelb8y2;;\cl1;]eti;t)e)d shall have power to enforce such laws under
¤mf¤i¤§ii;lli$llZ¤s£fY>`»2i 39. That grants of franchises arid privileges under the section last preceding shall provide that the same shall be subject to amendment, alteration, or repeal, and shall forbid the issue of stocks or bonds except in exchan e for actual cash or property at a fair valuation to be determinedai the public-service commission Dimmu equal in amoxmt to the par value of, the stoclrs or bonds issued, and shall forbid the declaring of stock or bond dividends, and in the case
