The board of lady managers exists by operation of law, the same that called the National Commission into existence.  It was the duty of the National Commission to create it.  It was the duty of the National Commission and of the local board to prescribe the powers and duties of the board of lady managers.  Of course, these duties could not be accurately and technically laid out; we could only confer the power, and that would suggest what duties—­what power within that general grant they should exercise.  It is not the duty of the board of lady managers to be supervised by or to be subject to the local board.  I was struck when I read the report made by Mrs. Montgomery of her interview with the local board, not by the gracious manner in which she was received and the graceful questions that were asked, but by the absolute failure in any particular to give definite reply or take any action upon any of the recommendations made by that committee.

What I think this board ought to do is to outline or prescribe the actual things it intends to do, report that to the National Commission and the local board, and then go ahead, not waiting to know whether this or that is within its powers or whether or not this is expedient and whether it can be carried out.  Let some one take the responsibility of saying you can not do this or can not do that.  As long as you deal in generalities with the National Commission, or agree to everything that is brought up by the local company, this board of lady managers will never become an active part or parcel of this great exposition.

I do not agree with my friend, Senator Carter, on another thing, and that is that these people are entitled to any consideration on account of the money they have expended.  They came to Congress and asked Congress for authority to do this very thing; they did not come to Congress for any benefit that they expected to result to the country, but on account of their own local interests and to glorify the Louisiana Purchase and the people of the Louisiana Purchase, and, upon agreeing that they would do these things, privilege was granted by Congress, and the appropriation made.  That appropriation is not part of their fund—­that is the fund of the United States which is being distributed in the city of St. Louis, preeminently for the city and generally for the United States.  And was not this board of lady managers created by the very act of Congress, and have you not some rights in this matter, to the end that you may accomplish the work that has been assigned to you?

I say the time has come when we have got to talk plainly and make some one responsible for your action or nonaction.  If either board considers that you are going beyond your powers they will have the right to make restrictions, but as long as you keep within these powers and what you think you ought to do, I doubt if your work will be restricted in any way.