CLOSING BOWIE STATE COLLEGE 749

dollars. Much is in the capital improvements budget to rectify the
questions of which the students complain. Things were added in the
supplemental budget when new money became available, by the ac-
tion of the Board of Trustees. So the reasons to demand immediate
redress are just not present. And if they are present, the demands
must come through the duly constituted authority of the Board of
Trustees.

Even today Mr. Cole of my staff, when these students came to
Annapolis, told them he was willing to meet with them and discuss
their problems. They demanded that they meet with me. I was not
here. I had no intention of coming back to yield to such an ultimatum.

I want to tell you at this point that I have a great reluctance to
close this college. I want to tell you that I have decided that I must,
for what I hope will be a very short period of time, close down this
institution. This is done with the consent and approval of the Board
of Trustees. I have communicated this decision to Dr. Myers. He
understands that the need for it is not the desire to make reprisals
on the students, but the need to protect the public health, safety and
general welfare. Remember that the initial uprisings were triggered
by the presence on the campus of outside influences. Very easily these
influences could return and it's important that I secure this State
property. I hope that it will be possible to open this College again
very shortly under a much more salutary atmosphere. I want to read
this Executive Proclamation:

"Under the powers vested in me by the Constitution and Public
General Laws of Maryland, and under the police powers which apply
when the public health, safety and general welfare are threatened, I
hereby direct that Bowie State College be closed until I find that
conditions there have returned to normal.

"In making this serious decision, I do find as a matter of fact that
the student demands, actions, and demonstrations constitute a clear
and present danger to the public health, safety, and general welfare. "

Finally, I just want to make a very short observation. The elected
officials of this State face the voters every four years. In that four-
year period they are entrusted with the public's safety and welfare.
I'm certain that they — the public — do not want the Governor of this
State, or any other elected official in whom they have reposed this
confidence, to yield to unlawful and illegal tactics such as those that
the State has seen in the past few days. I'm fully aware that these
students have been orderly in their disorder, but I do not find that