1154 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 560

for the benefit of the State, of an amount equal to one per cent,
on the first Twenty Thousand ($20, 000. ) Dollars of the estate,
and one-fifth of one per cent, on the balance of the estate, and,
said tax shall be due and payable whether the executor or ad-
ministrator waives his commissions or not, it being hereby in-
tended that no commissions less than this tax shall be allowed by
the orphans' court of this State, and that no waiver of commis-
sions shall defeat the payment of this tax. And, when a legacy
is left to an executor by way of compensation such legacy shall
be reckoned in the commissions fixed by the court.

Approved April 18th, 1910.

' CHAPTER 560.

AN ACT to provide for a Department of Law of the State of
Maryland; prescribing the duties of the Attorney-General
and fixing his salary; authorizing the appointment of three
Assistant Attorneys-General, prescribing their duties and
fixing their salaries; providing for law offices and their
equipment and an office force for the said Department; and
prohibiting certain specified boards, commissions, depart-
ments, officers and institutions, of the State Government from
employing or continuing the employment of counsel, and
vesting the legal work of such boards, commissions, depart-
ments, officers and institutions in the Department of Law
hereby created.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That there shall be a Department of Law of the State of
Maryland. The head of said Department shall be the Attorney-
General of the State.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Attorney-
General shall have general charge, supervision and direction
of the legal business of the State, except as provided in Sec-
tion 10 of this Act, and he, together with his assistants, shall
perform the duties now or hereafter prescribed by the Con-
stitution and Laws of this State, and in addition thereto shall
be the legal adviser and representative of and perform all legal
work for the following boards, commissions, departments, offi-
cers and institutions: