. 82 State Papers and Addresses

The founding of Maryland, then, was a pioneer expedition toward the
frontier of human liberty—one of the earliest and one of the bravest efforts
to establish the principle that Democracy must be spiritual as well as political
freedom. In this respect, once again I am reminded of incidents which seem
to liken the Empire State and her southern sister. New York was among the
first slave-holding communities to pass her own emancipation laws. And
Maryland exactly three hundred years ago last April, enacted what was un-
doubtedly one of the most liberal pieces of legislation in existence. This was
known as the Act of Toleration. It guaranteed to every man the right to
think and believe and worship as he pleased.

Toleration—We have a fondness for that word in Maryland. It comes down
to us by the oldest law of possession—the law of inheritance. It is our legacy
and birthright. Nothing is more natural than that a spirit of tolerance has
permeated our whole of life. But Tolerance need not always be connected with
matters that are great and grim. It is a spirit, I have said, which permeates
the Maryland way of life. The Act of Toleration is also the Law of Moderation.

The world of 300 years ago needed the lesson of tolerance that the early
Maryland settlers taught. Vastly more does the world of today, and of to-
morrow, need this Maryland spirit of tolerance if we are ever to solve success-
fully the pressing problems of social reform, of strife between labor and
capital, of class against class, and of nation against nation. To respect
another's rights while vigorously defending one's own, has ever been Maryland's
way. We recommend it to the world at large, because three centuries have
proven it a success in Maryland.

We have many things of local pride in Maryland—but we do not speak
with bated breath about them all. Three wars have been fought over our
land, but we are much more likely to remind our visitors that it was a
Marylander who wrote the Star Spangled Banner; that another man from
Maryland, James Rumsey shared with Fulton the credit for inventing the
steamboat; that raw oysters and steamed crabs are among the finer things
of life; that race-horses run faster and dairy cattle give more milk when bred
in Maryland; that whenever a Supreme Court Justice buys one of our farms
he is getting ready to make an important decision about retiring from the
bench; that "Babe" Ruth learned his trade on Baltimore diamonds; that one
of the most human things our State Legislature ever did was to vote for
adjournment so its members could go fox hunting.

This is "Maryland Day" at the World's Fair. The occasion deserves, I
think, an appropriate slogan. Ninety-one years ago a miracle of science oc-
curred in Baltimore. The first telegraph message came over the wire from
Washington and these were the words:

"What hath God wrought. "

I believe that same message will do very well to express our wonder and
admiration at what we have before us today on these magnificent Fair Grounds.

"What God hath wrought—through the imagination and industry of men. "

All these achievements are represented and magnificently portrayed in
this mighty Fair and we express appreciation at the opportunity of viewing
it and of having Maryland a participant in this greatest of all undertakings.