anized and in position where it can take up some proper
work that will be of benefit and be agreeable to the ladies. I
think, perhaps, without going into past history, that the board
of lady managers perhaps has failed to do what it might have
done in the way of formulating a plan for its own participation
in the exposition and that was growing out of circumstances
which no longer exist. I believe now this board is organized
with a president who is heart and soul for the success of the
exposition. Without being tied up to anything in the way of
local interests, it will be better able to compete with the
coming situation. There is, and has been a great deal of
hesitancy on the part of the National Commission about
attempting to outline a plan of action for this board of lady
managers. We provided for your appointment according to law, and
we fell into the belief, I hope it was not an error, that the
ladies on this board would know a great deal better what they
wanted to do, what they ought to do, and what would be best for
them to do than this board of men, who had never had anything to
do with these ladies' departments except to participate in the
enjoyment of them when so fortunate as to be present.

Now, you have prepared and outlined and accepted your rules and
regulations which were approved by our Commission along in June,
I think. They were prepared in April--those rules and
regulations were more than regulations for the procedure of your
board, as I recollect them, they very largely outlined the field
of work for the board of lady managers. They were adopted and
modified a little by the National Commission and sent to the
local company. They were prepared in April, promptly sent to the
local company because we thought without their action they could
not go into effect and there they have been ever since. To a
limited extent it was never necessary to send them there, so far
as the organization and management of the board of lady managers
is concerned--but, when you step over that or attempt to outline
the scope of your work, and your participation in the affairs of
the exposition, that part must go to the National Commission and
be approved.

Suppose, for instance, these ladies decided they would like to
participate in one of the National Congresses, that they would