On January 29 President Francis went before the Senate
committee, and on February 1 appeared before the House
committee, on behalf of a loan for the Exposition Company.

During the long interim preceding the arrival of President
Francis and those aiding him, those of the committee who had
remained in the capital were untiring in their efforts to make
friends for the bill, and as their cause was heartily indorsed
by their respective Senators and many members of their State
delegations, they became most hopeful of ultimate success.

The unceasing energy of the members of the legislative committee
was admirably aided by the president of this board, who had been
untiring in her efforts to make friends for the bill, and had
used these efforts in a masterly manner. Her large acquaintance
among, and knowledge of, men of affairs in Washington, and her
clear statements as to the way in which this board had been
created, and her convincing argument that the work of the board
must of necessity be most inadequate and inefficient by reason
of lack of funds, gained many advocates for the bill, and to her
is due the credit for the success of the work which the
committee was appointed to do. She was always at work,
unresting, unhasting, and, although weary and worn with the
interminable delay, neither she nor any member of the committee
left any honorable means untried in order to secure what was so
vitally necessary to the very existence of this board during the
exposition.

As the result of the combined efforts some who had affected
indifference became interested, and some who had previously
stoutly declared unalterable opposition finally yielded, not
only working and voting themselves in favor of the bill, but
persuading others to do so. It was naturally a source of great
satisfaction to the members of the legislative committee that
the strongest and most influential men of both Houses gave
recognition to the urgent claims which the board of lady
managers had upon Congress. It was these men who insisted upon
the incorporation of the specific clause providing for their
$100,000 as an amendment in the loan bill. This was eventually
done, and the amendment remained there until the passage of the
bill, thus becoming a part of the law governing the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition.