PREFACE.

An understanding of the scope and purpose of this book is essential
to its best use, and hence careful attention is invited to the preface.
The purpose of the book is two-fold, first to bring the Maryland Code
of 1904 down to date by codifying the Acts of Assembly of 1906, 1908
and 1910, and secondly, to annotate the Maryland, United States and
Federal cases construing or dealing with Maryland statutes.

THE CODIFICATION.

The editor has not gone back of the code of 1904, but taking that
as a basis, has codified the acts of 1906, 1908 and 1910. The arrange-
ment of the codes of 1888 and 1904 has, been followed in all respects,
largely because of the familiarity of the profession therewith. The
numbering of the articles has not been changed, the four new articles
being numbered respectively 2A, 14A (the number of this article was
directed by the general assembly), 19A and 39A; following the plan of
the code of 1904. The table of contents preceding each article, and
the references above each section to the acts comprising the section and
to the place where it may be found in prior codes, have been preserved
and added to as occasion required.

It should be borne in mind that no effort has been made to codify
or refer to the public local laws; that would make the work too volu-
minous and would tend to confusion. For local law, reference should
be made to the various local codes, or to the acts of assembly.

Article 27, "Crimes and Punishments," has been omitted in pursu-
ance of the spirit of the act of 1910, ch. 345 (p. 217), providing for
the adoption and publication of the laws relating exclusively to crimes
and punishments separate and apart from the civil laws. The new
Criminal Code will be presented to the Legislature of 1912 for action,
and will doubtless be adopted, and published promptly thereafter.

The directions of the general assembly as to where a statute was to
be placed in the code, have in each instance been followed unless to do
so was impossible by reason of prior acts directed to be put in the same
place. Where this situation arose, the later acts have been placed as
near the position directed by the Legislature as possible. Wherever
there was any doubt connected with the codification of a statute, or as
to which of two acts amending the same section and passed by the
same Legislature, should be codified, a foot-note is appended calling
attention to the doubt and the facts giving rise thereto. No liberties
have been taken with the statutes, but they have been reproduced exactly
as printed in the code of 1904 or in the subsequent official acts, except
that patent clerical or typographical errors and omissions were cor-
rected where a reference to the official acts (as to the code of 1904),
and to the original acts as passed (as to the acts of 1906, 1908 and