The matter was then considered of sending several members of the board of lady managers abroad to exploit woman’s work and to excite an interest in woman’s congresses throughout the world.  The chairman stated that she had a letter from Mr. Francis saying he would send one with certain conditions, and the committee wanted to know if that decision was final and what the action of the executive committee would be on that point.  It was suggested that three women from the board should be sent abroad—­one from the East, one from the West, and one from the Middle States—­and the chairman of the executive committee said that, if agreeable to the ladies, that committee would have the matter taken up as soon as President Francis returned.  The executive committee was assured that if it would outline a programme by which the board of lady managers could render assistance to this great exposition they would be very glad; they wanted to help do what the heads of the exposition had laid out to be, done, and if there was anything that women could do, let them do it.

The meeting then adjourned, and the committee on woman’s work met with Mr. Skiff, the director of exhibits.  In response to an inquiry in regard to the question whether his committee had taken the initiative in regard to educational and international congresses, Mr. Skiff replied: 

“The exposition simply patronizes and assists without the expenditure of money these stated congresses and conventions.  Those bodies already organized are in a hospitable way invited here, and their executive management is aided more or less in a hall in which they can meet a committee to receive them; but they conduct their own conventions.

“Now the international congresses are an entirely different thing.  They are patronized by the exposition.  An appropriation of $150,000 has been made for that purpose.  Dr. Simon Newcomb is president of the congress.  There is no race or sex in a universal exposition; it is the productive use of a man as a unit.  We have had great difficulty in convincing the scientific people that so great a thing should come from so western a point.  We are going to do a very fine thing in a very large way.  The delegates will be selected and all expenses paid from their homes and return, and whatever product of their thought they present here at these congresses will be bound and fixed in type.  I can not say we are working on any plan; it is developed.  The congress is my idea.  I am the director of exhibits, and it did not seem proper for the director of exhibits officially to approve the proceedings and the signatures of an office of an international congress.  So I suggested that Director Rogers report to President Francis, so that I use President Francis’s name.  In the meantime I have been appointed a member of the advisory board on account of my position as a director of the institute in Chicago.  There is no