8 PREFACE.

It has been found impracticable in this Code of Public Gen-
eral Laws to note everywhere these differing public local laws,
and hence, before we can be absolutely certain that the public
general law is of universal application throughout the State in
all cases, some examination must be made of the public local
laws of the several counties and of Baltimore city.

So much public local legislation has been enacted since the
publication of the Code of 1888 that there is now an impera-
tive need of a codification of the whole body of this public
local law, in order that the differences between the public gen-
eral law upon any subject and the public local law upon the
same subject may be easily ascertained.

It is believed that this Code now published will be found to
contain a correct reproduction of the whole body of our exist-
ing public general law now in force.

Many of its sections are expressly declared not to apply to
one or more counties or to Baltimore city. In these cases no
trouble or difficulty can arise.

But where there is no such express limitation or exception
in the general law, there may still be contemporaneous or sub-
sequent special local law, inconsistent with the general law,
which must, of course, be ascertained and effect given to it,
inasmuch as in this codification the public local laws of the
several counties and of Baltimore city are not included.

In an Appendix references are given under the several counties
to the specific Public Local Laws in force in those counties
relating to the more important of the subjects for which Public
General Laws also exist. And references are also given to
the Act of 1898, ch. 123, commonly called the New Charter of
Baltimore City and the amendments and additions thereto
passed at the sessions of 1898, 1900, 1902 and 1904, consti-
tuting Article 4 of the Public Local Law, and presenting the