its favorable economic condition, it must enter spiritedly into this
competition. One of the first decisions I made as Governor of Mary-
land was to establish a new State agency, the Department of Economic
Development, whose responsibility it is to keep Maryland abreast or
ahead of its competitors in the development of its economy. This
Department is still in the fledgling stage and hence its worth cannot
yet be appraised. But I have complete confidence in its leadership
and no misgivings about its ability to reach the goals we have set.
Maryland, as I have shown, has plenty to sell, and the selling job
can and will be done.

I should like to discuss at some greater length the assets of Mary-
land and what we can do to improve them. And I should like to use
as an illustration this part of Maryland in which we find ourselves
now. This county—Montgomery—was described in an article that
appeared in one of our metropolitan newspapers only a few days ago
as one of the "richest, highest taxed and most prosperous" counties
of the country. It enjoys the well-deserved fame of being one of the
finest residential areas in the country, with attractive towns, villages
and suburban communities, good schools, good roads, excellent park
and recreational facilities. The median income for the entire county
last year was nearly $10, 000, and the average value of new, single-
family homes built in 1958 was approximately $20, 000. Situated as
it is within the budding metropolitan area of our national capital
and being as attractive as it is for gracious living, Montgomery County
must of necessity grow and grow at an accelerated pace. The rate
of the population growth of course is conjectural, but I note that
the Washington Board of Trade is estimating that the county, with a
population now of 350, 000, will have 435, 000 inhabitants in 1965 and
670, 000 by 1980. Growth at such a rapid rate must be guided, con-
trolled and regulated to escape what the planners call "Suburban
Sprawl. " It is consoling to residents of the county, I know, to realize
that they have a county government and a planning agency which is
equipped to handle this situation and avert the disaster of a suburban
sprawl. Montgomery County for many years has had excellent planning
to provide for the orderly development of residential communities,
shopping areas and employment centers. The quality of its planning
has been a main factor in its development as one of the most pros-
perous counties in the nation.

Counties which become "bedroom" areas for adjoining big cities
are likely to have serious problems of taxation and financing, and it
is to the everlasting credit of Montgomery County planners that they

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