Then the matter of wages—we have to pay 33 per cent higher wages than were paid at the Chicago Exposition. At that time carpenters got 35 cents per hour—you may remember that was the year of the panic, 1893. When we first began carpenters in this town were getting 45 cents an hour; they are now getting 55 cents an hour, and when you bear in mind that we have 5,000 carpenters at work there, an advance of 25 per cent in wages means something.
We broke ground on December 20, 1901, but we did that because it was the anniversary of the transfer of this territory from the French Government to the United States. But that was two years ago, and in those two years wages have gone up in St. Louis from 45 to 55 cents; plumbers' wages have advanced 25 per cent; plasterers were getting $4.50 per day—we are now paying them $6, and on last Friday they struck for $7. The hodcarriers who carry plaster for the plasterers are getting $4 per day—count twenty-five working days in the month, our hodcarriers are receiving $100 per month, which is more than educated clerks receive. A while ago these hodcarriers struck for $4.50 per day. * * * This is an Universal Exposition—we do not want to take a stand against union labor, but if it is to be a Universal Exposition we must stand by the laws of the United States so as to admit contract labor from abroad—men who work on erecting the foreign exhibits.
We were paying our day laborers 22 cents an hour and the railroads throughout the country were giving them 22 1/2 cents an hour; on the 25th of September they wrote that they had four demands: One was the recognition of the union (no one ever knew they had a union); second, that eight hours should constitute a day; third, they should get 30 cents an hour, and fourth, time and one-half for overtime. Well, in order not to stop our work I told the men to pay them 25 cents an hour, but that we could not limit our work to an eight-hour day; it was in the fall and we had to take advantage of the fine weather—we would pay them 25 cents an hour and work as long as we wished them to work—ten hours. I said to the laborers this is not a commercial enterprise; we are not running this for gain; we have put up $10,000,000 or $16,000,000; we are doing a patriotic duty, celebrating an historical event. * * *
We have 50 per cent more of buildings under roof than Chicago had at this time. We have 1,240 acres of ground space covered by buildings, while Chicago had 679 acres, which is nearly twice as much. When we say that the Chicago Company spent $22,000,000 I think you will say that under the circumstances $19,500,000 is a small amount for us to spend. Of course we have profited by their experience, which should be valuable to us.
A committee was appointed on December 16, 1903, to confer with President
Carter, and place before him the following resolution:
Resolved, That the board of lady managers respectfully request the National Commission to suspend its rules limiting the further appointments upon the board, for the purpose of appointing a representative from the city of St. Louis upon the board of lady managers.
On the same day the following communication was received in reply:
DEAR MISS DAWES: The Commission has under consideration the question propounded by you, understood to be substantially as follows: "Is it the intention of the Commission and the Exposition Company to suspend the rule heretofore adopted, whereby it is provided that no appointment will be made on the board of lady managers, until the number shall be reduced below twenty-one?"
In reply, I am authorized by the Commission to say that the Exposition Company, speaking through its president, has intimated that the executive committee of the company will present a request to the Commission for the suspension of the rule referred to, to the end that a lady residing in the city of St. Louis may be appointed a member of the board of lady managers, under such suspension of the rule.
This request, we are advised, will be presented by the company to-day, and the Commission is disposed to suspend the rule by unanimous consent in conformity to the request when presented, and to appoint the lady recommended by the executive committee of the company. You will be advised of the action of the Commission on the subject under consideration the earliest practicable moment.