FREDERICK ROTARY CLUB 427

ure to conserve the beauty of the Potomac, it should also prove a
vital economic asset to Maryland's tourist industry.

Tourism and conservation will receive heightened emphasis by the
administration in the next year. Exciting plans are under way to
publicize and promote Maryland's outstanding historical, recreational
and cultural attractions. Frederick — the home of Barbara Fritchie,
the burial place of Francis Scott Key, the home of Thomas Johnson
— can expect to reap benefits from this concerted effort to win our
rightful share of the tourist market.

Conservation of Maryland's most vital, natural resource means the
conservation of our waters. The 1967 General Assembly authorized
this administration to allocate $25 million to the counties to subsidize
the development of water and sewage facilities. This was triple the
assistance granted by any previous administration.

This year I shall request the 1968 General Assembly to enact com-
prehensive pollution abatement legislation. Model statutes to assure
that the purity of our waters will conform to established water quality
standards; tax incentives for industries willing to install pollution
control equipment; regulations to combat irresponsible pollution by
pleasure craft; and additional bonding authority so that local govern-
ments may curtail pollution resulting from antiquated sewage systems
and open-surface run off. This program will be ambitious — even in
Agnew dimensions — but the economic implications of neglect are so
tremendous and so terrifying that we can justify no less than a one
hundred percent effort.

Fiscal reform and revisions to create a favorable commercial climate,
vigorous emphasis on Federal relations, energetic campaigns to capture
new markets and stringent new programs to preserve precious re-
sources are but the highlights of present and proposed State action to
create a dynamic economic environment throughout Maryland.

Major programs have been designed to benefit all counties in gen-
eral; major policies are directed toward enabling each subdivision to
benefit in particular. For the philosophy and, consequently, the em-
phasis of this administration affirms that the local government — that
government closest to the people — is best capable of understanding
and fulfilling its citizens' desires, its community's goals, its county's
potential. It is the role of the State to assist but not to dictate, to pro-
pose but not to impose, to secure the general prerequisites to progress
but not to set specific paths for any subdivision's development.

This administration is dedicated to the counties. This spring I
traveled to Frederick to convey this interest and concern to your