174 State Papers and Addresses

short time since that Saturday last spring when this spot boasted merely the
foundation for the beautiful structure which henceforth will serve as Hagers-
town's seat of Municipal Government.

That such a building has become necessary is evidence, if evidence were
needed, of the continued and continuing growth of the City. Such growth
inevitably brings with it a broadening of administrative control, and causes
•many more of our citizens to transact business before your officials, your
Boards and Commissions. The prime purpose of these functionaries is to
afford the residents of your City speedy and effective service in contrast to the
more deliberate methods of other branches of government. And so this build-
ing, the seat of your local government, will facilitate, and help to simplify,
administrative functioning and procedure.

Life moves fast in this great Nation of ours, so comparatively youthful
as opposed to the older countries of Europe. Realization of how far we've come
from that by-gone day a century and three-quarters ago when Jonathan Hager
first founded a little settlement, which was to bear his name, comes quickly
to mind when one glances at the picture of Hagerstown's first City Hall—a
picture with which all of you, I am sure, are familiar.

Tiny it was, and its circumscribed second floor, served both as a City Hall
for Hagerstown, and a Court Room for Washington County, while the com-
paratively open space below was used not only as a market, but also as a
hitching post, and even as a whipping post. As a memory and a link with
the past, it is to be treasured, indeed. Hagerstown new is equipped for the
use of its local Government, as well as any city of its size, and I think the
citizens of Hagerstown owe a tribute of praise to the vision and foresight
that made this new City Hall possible.

It is particularly fortunate that this building should be provided just at
this time, for I believe that it is possible to predict safely that Hagerstown
will welcome within the years to come many more visitors than have passed
through its borders up to this time.

It seems that we Marylanders now fully appreciate what a splendid heri-
tage we have in our great State. As the newly created Maryland State Publi-
city Commission has decided to publicize in its slogan, Maryland is indeed an
"America in Miniature" blest as are few other states in this great country of
ours with every type of physical advantage. As I say, we have just begun
fully to appreciate this fact, but having once realized it, we intend to do our
utmost to acquaint many thousands of our fellow Americans with the un-
matched advantages our State has to offer.

In and around Hagerstown there are so many historical spots, that the
City is very properly included in one of the major scenic tours now being
portrayed by the Maryland Publicity Commission. As a State, we have been
far too backward in the discussion of Maryland's contribution to the history
and culture of our Country.

As we stand here this afternoon, happy participants in these interesting
ceremonies, I wonder how many of us stop to give a thought to what such oc-
casions as these mean to us here in America. We have but to remember the
headlines that have greeted us in our daily papers these many months to come
to the full and consoling realization that we, as Americans, enjoy blessings of
peace and liberty, such as are vouchsafed at the present time to few other
peoples in the world. While we are gathered here dedicating this splendid