REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

The Executive Council has held two regular meetings during the year; one special meeting was held to which the chairmen of the Standing and Special Committees were invited. The attendance was very good, and matters relating to the welfare of the Association were considered. The Council authorized the publication and issue of the report of 1914. There has been one resignation during the year, and the following new members have been elected:

William C. Coleman, Baltimore City.

Edgar H. McBride, Frederick.

Harry W. Nice, Baltimore City.

Egil Steen, Baltimore City.

Samuel Want, Baltimore City.

James Clarke Murphy, Baltimore City.

Jesse N. Bowen, Baltimore City.

JAMES W. CHAPMAN, JR., Secretary.

The President: The next is the report of the Committee on Laws, Edward M. Hammond, chairman.

John W. Staton: Mr. Hammond does not appear to be here at present, but being a member of that committee I desire to state that the report is printed and will be read if necessary.

The President: That will not be necessary now as it

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON LAWS.

Your Committee respectfully reports:

Inasmuch as the General Assembly of Maryland will meet in 1916, when changes can be made in the statute law of the State, your Committee suggests several laws, one new in its entirety and the remainder amendments to the present existing statutes, as follows:

I.

An Act to add thirteen new sections to Article 16 of the Code of Public Civil Laws of Maryland, as legalized by Chapter 21 of the Acts of 1912, title "Chancery," subtitle "Non Compos Mentis," said new sections to follow Section 114 * * * regulating the procedure for inquiring into the sanity of persons alleged to be of unsound. mind or a lunatic, and providing that the proceedings therefor shall be before a jury and court instead of a sheriff's jury.

It is the idea of the members of your committee that a law of this character will safeguard the liberties of persons whose sanity may be in question, and it abolishes the present loose method of a hearing before a sheriff. Many of the provisions contained in the suggested law are from a similar statute on the subject in the State of Illinois as found in the Illinois Code of 1911, Chapter 85.

II.

An Act to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section 25 of Article 75 of the Code of Public General Laws of

and Process of Law (Practice)," sub-title "Abatement and Revivor," as enacted by the Act of 1849, Chapter 518.

This amendment has for its intention the abatement of the action of slander where the slander is imputed to the defendant through the uttering of the words by an agent who dies or becomes lunatic or insane, as contra-distinguished from the present practice whereby the action would not abate if the slander were committed by a corporation through an agent, who might afterwards die.

III.

An Act to repeal and re-enact with amendments Section 3 of Article 35 of the Code of Public General Laws of Maryland (Bagby's Code, 1911), title "Evidence," subtitle "Competency of Witnesses," as repealed and re-enacted by the Act of 1904, Chapter 661.

This amendment has for its intention the extending of the principle of evidence that when one of the two parties to a transaction should die before testifying, the other party should not be heard with reference thereto. It is suggested by the Committee that this be amended so as to include therein transactions had with an agent of a principal, as it seems to the Committee that the lips of the living parties should be just as effectively sealed, as they would be had the transaction been personally conducted through the parties to a suit and not through an agent.

IV.

An Act to repeal and re-enact with amendments Sections 4 and 5 of Article 23 of the Code of Public Civil Laws of Maryland, 1914, as said sections were enacted by Chapter 789 of the Acts of 1914, title "Corporations" sub-title "Pro

The intention of this amendment is as follows: Prior to the Act of 1914 certificates of incorporation should be filed with the State Tax Commissioner and a copy recorded in the Clerk's office where the principal office of the corporation was situated, but by the Act of 1914 it is provided that the certificate be filed with the Secretary of State and that a copy be sent to the State Tax Commissioner, no change, however, was made in amendments to original certificates, hence, the anomalous situation at present existing. It is also provided by the law that papers in connection with the consolidation of corporations be filed with the State Tax Commission.

It is the idea of the Committee that all of these provisions should be made uniform, and to that end the Committee submits the amendment which provides that we shall go back to the law as it existed prior to the amendment of 1914, so that certificates may be filed with the State Tax Commission, and also with the Clerk of the Court.

V.

An Act to repeal Section 148 of Article 75 of the Code of Public General Laws of Maryland, title "Pleadings, Practice and Process at Law," sub-title "Process," and to re-enact the same with amendments.

At present there is no statutory provision as to what county a warrant of re-survey shall be issued when the action is brought in a county other than where the land is located, and to meet this situation, your Committee suggests that the law be amended so that the warrant of resurvey shall be directed to and executed by the sheriff and

AN ACT to add thirteen new sections to Article 16 of the Code of Public Civil Laws of Maryland, as legalized by Chapter 21 of the Acts of 1912, title "Chancery," subtitle "Non-Compos Mentis," said new sections to follow Section 114 and to be designated as Sections 114a, 114b, 114c, 114d, 114e, 114f, 1149, 114h, 114, 114, 114k, 114, 114m and 114n, regulating the procedure for inquiring into the sanity of persons alleged to be of unsound mind or a lunatic, and providing that the proceedings therefor shall be before a jury in Court instead of a sheriff's jury.

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That there is hereby added thirteen new sections to Article 16 of the Code of Public Civil Laws of Maryland, as legalized by Chapter 21 of the Acts of 1912, title "Chancery," sub-title "Non Compos Mentis," said new sections to follow Section 114 and to be designated as Sections 114a, 114b, 114c, 114d, 114e, 114f, 1148, 114h, 114, 114j, 114k, 1141, 114m and 114n, regulating the procedure for inquiring into the sanity of persons alleged to be of unsound mind or a lunatic, and providing that the proceedings there for shall be before a jury in Court instead of a Sheriff's jury, and to read as follows:

SEC. 114а. That the word "insane" or "unsound mind" or "lunatic" in this act used shall be construed to mean any person who by reason of unsoundness of mind, is incapable of managing and caring for his own estate, or is dangerous to himself or others, if permitted to go at large, or is in such condition of mind or body as to be a fit subject for care and treatment in a hospital or asylum for the insane; provided, that no person afflicted with simply epilepsy shall be regarded as insane, unless the manifestations of abnormal excitability, violence, or homicidal or