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Whereas there has been for several years a decrease in the amount of. leaf tobacco produced in these Islands and a deterioration in the quality thereof, due to faulty and unscientific methods of planting the seed, caring for the growing leaf, and the subsequent curing thereof when harvested; and

Whereas this condition of affairs has resulted and is resulting in injury to the tobacco-manufacturing industries of these Islands and to the export trade in leaf tobacco and the manufactured products of tobacco: Now, therefore.

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Commission, that:

SECTION 1. Beginning with the calendar year nineteen hundred and eight, and each year thereafter, there shall be paid bounties to union. growers of tobacco under the following conditions:

(a) One thousand pesos in the Province of Cagayan, one thousand pesos in the Province of Isabela, and seven hundred and fifty pesos in the Province of La Union to the grower of leaf tobacco in each of said provinces who plants not less than one hectare nor more than ten hectares and who produces the largest number of marketable leaves per hectare.
(b) One thousand pesos in the Province of Cagayan, one thousand pesos in the Province of Isabela, and seven hundred and fifty pesos in the Province of La Union to the grower of leaf tobacco in each of said provinces who cultivates not less "than one hectare nor more than ten hectares and who sorts the tobacco leaves harvested  on such holding in the most uniform manner as regards the size, quality, coloring, and so forth, of the leaves.
(c) One thousand pesos in the Province of Cagayan, one thousand pesos in the Province of Isabela, and seven hundred and fifty pesos in the Province of La Union to the grower of leaf tobacco in each of said provinces who presses and packs in manos the leaves harvested on such holdings, and cures it, in the manner best suited for the manufacture of "cigars and other tobacco products within the Philippine Islands, or most nearly in accordance with the demands of consumers abroad as regards leaf tobacco exported from those Islands: Provided, That the committee of three appointed  as hereinafter provided to judge of the merits of the claims of the  various competitors for the bounties provided above may, in their discretion, instead of assigning the bounty to one individual in each province, distribute it among not to exceed three of the growers whose claims they consider most meritorious; and in such case fifty per centum of the bounty shall be given to the grower who most nearly complies with the prescribed conditions, and the remainder shall be distributed in the proportion of thirty and twenty per centum to the next two competitors in the order of merit. Growers of leaf tobacco desiring to compete for the bounties provided for above shall register as competitors with the provincial treasurer at the time of planting each year's crop, or as soon thereafter as practicable, and the treasurer of each province shall by frequent publication, not less than once a quarter or oftener if advisable, by bands, or otherwise, in each town inform all growers of leaf tobacco regarding the payment of these bounties and the steps necessary to be taken to enter the contest. A standing committee in each province is hereby constituted to pass on the claims of the various competitors. Said committee shall he composed of the provincial treasurer, a representative from the Agriculture to be designated in each province by the Director of that Bureau, and a third member to be a planter of or a dealer in leaf tobacco in each province to be selected by the other two members of the committee. This committee shall convene on the call of the provincial treasurer, shall provide such rules for the discharge of its commission as may be needed to suit local conditions in each province, and their report each year on the names of the growers of leaf tobacco entitled to the various bounties shall he in the form of a certified resolution signed by the three members of said committee and forwarded to the Governor-General of the Philippine islands. A copy of said resolution shall also be forwarded to the Insular Auditor and a copy to the Collector of internal Revenue.

SEC. 2. A permanent continuing appropriation to pay the bounties above specified is hereby made, and the insular Auditor shall pay such amounts to each grower entitled thereto by warrant, in the name of such grower, to be delivered to him by the provincial treasurer and to be paid out of the Insular Treasury from any of moneys not otherwise appropriated. The names of the successful competitors shall be published in the Official Gazette and in the local press.

SEC. 3. In addition to the amounts provided for bounties to be in other provinces, paid in the three provinces designated a further continuing annual appropriation of five thousand pesos for general distribution in other tobacco-growing provinces, under the direction and with the approval of the Governor-General, is hereby made and shall be assigned and paid to the competitors for said bounty in the remaining tobacco-growing .provinces, as near as may be in accordance with the regulations provided above for the three provinces designated.

SEC. 4. The public good requiring the speedy enactment of this bill, the passage of the same is hereby expedited in accordance with section two of "An Act prescribing the order of procedure by the Commission in the enactment of laws," passed September twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, October 11, 1007.