PHILLIPS LEE GOLDSBOROUGH, GOVERNOR. 399

eral Laws of Maryland, title "Corporations," sub-title "Insur-
ance Department," be repealed and re-enacted so as to read as
follows:

167. No person, firm or corporation shall act as agent or
Solicitor in this State for any insurance company, including
individuals, whether residents or non-residents, partnership or
joint stock association, except for such companies as may be
chartered under the laws of this State, in any manner what-
ever relating to insurance risks, until all the provisions of this
article relating thereto have been complied with, and there
has been granted by the Insurance Commissioner a certificate
of authority or license, for which said company, individual,
resident or non-resident, association or their agent, doing a
life insurance business, shall pay to the Insurance Commis-
sioner the sum of three hundred dollars ($300), and all other
such companies, individuals, whether resident or non-resident,
association or their agent, except those as may be chartered
under the laws of this State, shall pay the sum of one hundred
dollars ($100), and all companies, individuals, resident or non-
resident, association or their agent, except such as may be char-
tered under the laws of this State, shall also pay to the Insur-
ance Commissioner a tax on the amount of premiums contracted
to be paid or actually collected, received, allowed or secured
in this State, or from residents thereof, during the last license
year by or for said company, individual, resident or non-resi-
dent, partnership or association, and without any deduction for
expenses or endowments or dividends which may have been
paid or allowed, or for any other cause whatsoever; which tax
shall be at the rate of two per centum on premiums on policies
of such companies, whose charters authorize them to write fire,
marine or inland insurance, and at the rate of one and one-
half per centum on premiums on policies of all other such com-
panies; and which rates shall not be increased or diminished
by reason of any greater or less rates being chargeable under
the laws of any other State or territory. A report of the pre-
miums so collected as above must be made to the Insurance
Commissioner under oath of the chief accountant officers of
such company at the time of obtaining the license hereinabove
provided for. The Insurance Commissioner, in computing the
tax upon premiums collected in this State by fire and marine
insurance companies, may allow credit for return premiums
on cancelled policies and for re-insurance effected in companies
authorized to do business in this State. Any company apply-
ing for admission in this State shall pay for license in like
proportion for a fractional part of a year, so that all licenses