DEAR MISS DAWES:  The Commission has under consideration the question propounded by you, understood to be substantially as follows:  “Is it the intention of the Commission and the Exposition Company to suspend the rule heretofore adopted, whereby it is provided that no appointment will be made on the board of lady managers, until the number shall be reduced below twenty-one?”

In reply, I am authorized by the Commission to say that the Exposition Company, speaking through its president, has intimated that the executive committee of the company will present a request to the Commission for the suspension of the rule referred to, to the end that a lady residing in the city of St. Louis may be appointed a member of the board of lady managers, under such suspension of the rule.

This request, we are advised, will be presented by the company to-day, and the Commission is disposed to suspend the rule by unanimous consent in conformity to the request when presented, and to appoint the lady recommended by the executive committee of the company.  You will be advised of the action of the Commission on the subject under consideration the earliest practicable moment.

    Very respectfully,
    THOMAS H. CARTER, President.

    MISS ANNA L. DAWES,
    Chairman of Committee,
    Board of Lady Managers.

On December 18 the following letter was received from the president of the National Commission on the same subject: 

    ST. Louis, December 17, 1903.

MADAM:  By direction of the Commission I am authorized to acknowledge receipt of your resolution recommending that the Commission suspend the rule restricting the membership of the board of lady managers, to the end that an appointment may be made of a representative from the city of St. Louis.  In reply thereto you are informed that the rule referred to can not be suspended, save by the joint action of this Commission and the Exposition Company.  The Commission feels indisposed to initiate any movement looking to its suspension.  If requested by the Exposition Company to suspend the rule for the purpose of naming some lady residing in St. Louis, recommended by the Exposition Company, the Commission would probably, by unanimous consent, suspend the rule for that purpose.

    Very respectfully,
    THOMAS H. CARTER, President.

    MRS. DANIEL MANNING,
    President Board Lady Managers.

As no decision could be reached by the executive committee of the Exposition Company in regard to a choice of representative from the city of St. Louis on the board of lady managers, the board felt the necessity of selecting a president from its existing membership, and at the next session, on December 16, 1903, again held in the Administration Building, Mrs. John M. Holcombe moved that “we proceed at once to elect a president of this board.”