for various state and party offices and I know of no one who has
earned his spurs in the political arena who would miss this Annual
Ocean City Convention of Democratic ladies.

I recall, vividly, attending this convention in the summer of 1961
when the convention headquarters was located at the Atlantic Hotel,
only a short boardwalk train ride from where we are now. At the
time, I had not yet decided whether or not to seek re-election to a
second term as Governor. During the evening of the first day of that
convention, thousands of multi-colored flyers appeared in restaurants
and hotels along the broadwalk here in Ocean City extolling the
virtues and describing the achievements of my first term in office. As
a result, many of the women of the party offered me words of en-
couragement at that time and, not too long afterwards, I did an-
nounce my intention of seeking a second term as Governor.

What happened to me in 1961, however, does not merely illustrate
an isolated incident. What 1 am trying to say is that it serves as a
reminder to all of the enormous respect and admiration that we feel
toward the members of the United Democratic Women's Clubs of
Maryland. The success that I enjoyed at the polls in 1958 and, again,
in 1962, and the success that our late President Kennedy, President
Johnson, Senator Tydings, Senator Brewster and other Democratic
candidates have enjoyed here in Maryland is attributable in great
measure to the wonderful support that has been so freely and en-
thusiastically given by the women of our Party.

It is only right and proper, therefore, as I now enter into the
twilight hours of my career in public service, that I take this op-
portunity to offer my heartfelt personal thanks for your gracious as-
sistance to me and to the Democratic Party in campaigns past. We
have come a good distance together since those early Gubernatorial
campaign days of 1958 and it is my hope, as I know it is yours, that
history will judge us well. Perhaps the objective eye of the historian
will be better able than our contemporaries to discern and thus
evaluate the problems involved in administering the affairs of govern-
ment in today's constantly changing modern society.

Our Democratic administration has endeavored and, I believe, suc-
ceeded in providing the needed services and programs for the people
and has made Maryland a forerunner of the progressive states while
at the same time protecting the financial soundness of our fiscal
system. Historians will certainly praise any administration which has
been able to provide to many needed services without a major tax
increase in eight years.

157