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

SECTION 1. Section one of Act Numbered Eight hundred and seventy-five, entitled "An Act providing for the collection of duties on goods, wares, and merchandise imported into the Islands for use of the Insular, provincial, or municipal governments," is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the words "except as hereinafter provided."

SEC. 2. Section two of said Act Numbered Eight hundred and seventy-five is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following words: "And provided' further, That this Act shall not apply to scientific apparatus and books and other merchandise imported tor the insular Government or any Bureau thereof, or for a provincial or municipal government, when the articles imported are of such character that local competition therefor would be impracticable and orders for the same must necessarily be placed outside of the Philippine Islands. In each case of importation the Collector of Customs for the Philippine Islands shall determine whether the articles are or are not entitled to free entry under this proviso, subject to the supervisory direction of the Secretary of Finance and Justice."

SEC. 3. 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. 4. This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, September 9, 1904.