MISCELLANEOUS BILLS. 349.

COUNSEL OF THE COMMISSION : DUTIES.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the General Counsel of the Commission to represent and
appear for the Commission in all actions and proceedings
involving any question under this Act, or under or in refer-
ence to any act, order or proceeding of the Commission, and if
directed to do so by the Commission, to intervene, if possible,
in any action or proceeding in which any such question is in-
volved ; to commence and prosecute all actions and proceedings
directed or authorized by the Commission, and to expedite, in
every way possible, final determination of all such actions and
proceedings; to advise the Commission and each Commissioner,
When so requested, in regard to all matters in connection with
the powers and duties of the Commission and of the members
thereof, and generally to perform all duties and services as
attorney and counsel to the Commission which the Commission
may reasonably require of him.

The assistant, or assistants, appointed by the General Coun-
sel shall perform such duties as the General Counsel may
prescribe.

All actions and proceedings under this Act, and all actions
and proceedings commenced and prosecuted by order of the
Commission, and all actions and proceedings to which the
Commission may be a party and in which any question arises
under this Act, or under or concerning any order or action of
the Commission, shall be preferred over all other civil causes,
except election causes, in all the courts of the State of Mary-
land, and shall be heard and detei mined in preference to all
other civil business pending therein, excepting election causes,
irrespective of position on the dockets of said courts. The
«ame preference shall be granted upon application of the Gen-,
eral Counsel to the Commission, or his assistant, in any action
or proceedings in which the General Counsel or his assistant
may be allowed to intervene.

CERTAIN ACTS PROHIBITED: GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That every Commissioner,
the General Counsel to the Commission, the Secretary of the
Commission and every person employed or appointed to office
under, in the service or in connection with the said Com-
mission, is hereby forbidden and prohibited to solicit, sug-
gest, request or recommend, directly or indirectly, to any com-
mon carrier, railroad corporation, street railroad corporation,
gas company, electric light company, telephone company, tele-