838.51/1626

The High Commissioner in Haiti (Russell) to the Secretary of State

No. 310

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith for the Department’s information copies of the texts of notes exchanged with the Haitian [Page 396] Government in regard to the agreement arrived at in connection with the establishment of the “Administration Générale des Contributions”, my note to the Haitian Government dated January 3, 1924, and the note in reply from the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs dated February 14, 1924.

I have [etc.]

John H. Russell
[Enclosure 1]

The American High Commissioner (Russell) to President Borno

Excellency: With a view to aiding and assisting the Haitian Government in carrying out the provisions of the Treaty of September 16, 1915, and in order to give effect to the provisions of the Protocol of October 3, 1919, my government has authorized me to propose to Your Excellency the following mode of procedure with regard to the appointment of the personnel of, and the disposition of the funds to be collected by, the “Administration Générale des Contributions” which is to be established by a law soon to be presented to the Council of State:

1.
The President of Haiti shall make all appointments to the “Administration Générale des Contributions” created by the Law of Contributions of 1924 upon previous agreement between the Secretary of State for Finance and the General Receiver of Customs.
2.
The Director General of the “Administration Générale des Contributions” shall receive a salary of five thousand dollars (5,000.00) per annum and an allowance of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00) per annum for expenses. The other employees of The “Administration Générale des Contributions” shall receive such salaries as may be fixed by law upon recommendation of the Secretary of State for Finance in accord with the General Receiver of Customs.
3.
All amounts collected under the Internal Revenue Laws shall be placed to the credit of the General Receiver in the Banque Nationale de la République d’Haiti to be applied by him in accordance with Article V of the Treaty of September 16, 1915.

If Your Excellency will be so good as to signify the assent of Your Government to this arrangement, I will be pleased to inform my Government accordingly.

I might at the same time inform Your Excellency that my Government desires it to be clearly understood that this arrangement does not in fact nor by implication extend the provisions of the Treaty of September 16, 1915, above mentioned.

I take [etc.]

[
John H. Russell
]
[Page 397]
[Enclosure 2—Translation]

The Haitian Minister for Foreign Relations (Leon) to the American High Commissioner (Russell)

Mr. High Commissioner: His Excellency the President of the Republic has transmitted to me your letter of January 3, 1924 relative to the new Bureau the creation of which the Government has proposed to the Council of State, under the name of “Administration Générale des Contributions”.12

I have the honor to officially bring to your knowledge that it is understood:

1. That the President of Haiti shall make all nominations in the Administration Générale des Contributions, after previous agreement between the Secretary of State for Finance and the General Receiver of Customs.

2. That the Director General of the Administration Générale des Contributions shall receive, yearly, a salary of Five Thousand Dollars and an allowance of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars for expenses.

The other employees of this Service shall receive a salary to be fixed by law upon the recommendation of the Secretary of State for Finance in accord with the General Receiver of Customs.

3. That the total of all imposts and taxes collected in accordance with the law by the Administration Générale des Contributions shall be placed to the credit of the General Receiver in the Banque Nationale de la République d’Haiti to be applied by him in conformity with article 5 of the Treaty of Sept. 16, 1915.

Accept [etc.]

Camille Leon
  1. The law creating the bureau was promulgated June 6, 1924.