circumstances
under which we made that deal or presented that bill were
especially trying, and I think we all deserve to be
congratulated upon the outcome.

When I went to Washington I found your president at the Capitol
with Mrs. Montgomery. They had all worked assiduously and had
made considerable headway in the Senate--in which body it was
our plan to introduce the bill in the shape of an amendment to
the urgent deficiency bill.

While the matter was pending in the Senate the question of this
$100,000 was brought up. We very promptly assured the ladies
that this amount would be added to our bill asking for a loan of
$4,500,000. We preferred, of course, that we should not be
expected to repay it. However, the bill was presented and passed
and this $100,000 is to be paid over to the board of lady
managers upon their order, and for such purposes as they may
elect. The bill does not provide definitely out of which of our
payments this $100,000 should come. The bill provided that we
should get the money in four installments of $1,000,000 each,
and a final installment of $600,000 not being payable until May.
The bill does not provide out of which payment your $100,000
shall be paid, but I wish to say, on behalf of the Exposition
Company, we are willing and ready to pay that whenever you
ladies request that it shall be paid. We do not know what plans,
if any, you have made or in what manner you are planning for the
disbursement of that money. * * *

Now, with regard to your money, I am not going to give you any
gratuitous advice, but only wish to assure you that it is the
intention of the company--that the company is ready to give that
money to you in any form you may desire it. It will be given to
you in any installments you may designate or it will be set
aside in its entirety to be used for no other purpose than to
honor requisitions of the board of lady managers.

In other words, it is possible for us to do this, and we will do
it to your satisfaction, and we will draw up a letter of
instruction and set aside as a special credit in the Treasury
the sum of $100,000 in accordance with our bill of Congress,
approved blank date. The auditor will draw his warrants without
the approval of the treasurer of this company, but merely upon
the requisition of the board of