ional 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 opportunity for organizations
to participate in that international congress. There you come in
as individuals; but man or woman if they are great will be
invited. It is all one congress; it will only last one week. We
have not selected the exact date. It occupies a week; it is
divided into sections. Some days in the Congressional Hall there
may be 25 or 30 sections all working at the same time on
different subjects. It is a magnificent programme. Meetings of
these stated organizations are entirely different. The only
point about meetings of these clubs and organizations is that,
whether they are officered by men or women, or both, some one in
behalf of the exposition must make their way a