Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

by Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

The committee felt that this exposition would afford an opportunity to carefully consider humanitarian interests, and record the close connection of women to the most important issues, their struggles, and their possibilities. The encouraging stimulus that would be given to them by the mutual expression of their hopes of the ultimate success of each earnest endeavor for their advancement, must inevitably result in aiding the elevation of women and the improvement of the conditions under which they live, and upon which not only their own welfare, but that of the nation, largely depends.

It was, therefore, a source of great regret to the members of the committee that their desire to carry out these commendable plans were doomed, in great measure not to be realized because, while the "suggestion" was again approved by the Exposition Company, no means were provided for the carrying out of the work, and their own appropriation was not received by the board in time to be made available.

The following is the final report of the committee on women's congresses:

The committee on women's congresses was appointed by Mrs. Blair,
April 19, 1903, and was composed of Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Hanger,
and Mrs. Buchwalter, who was, by unanimous vote, made chairman
December 18 of that year.

When the committee was first created it asked for a letter of instruction from the exposition board. This letter was received together with a list of women's organizations which had been compiled in the office of the Exposition Company. Communications were at once sent to each of these associations, also to others selected by the committee, in all more than fifty. In addition to extending an invitation to hold its meeting at St. Louis during the World's Fair, each organization was told that a place of meeting would be provided, and that all possible aid would be given in making preliminary arrangements by a board of information which would be ready to supply any assistance necessary in preparing for the meeting.

Up to this time it had been hoped that it would be possible to inaugurate a series of meetings of women's associations which would be congresses in more than name. The committee, however, was confronted with the serious limitation of no treasury from which to draw. At the last meeting of the board during the incumbency of the first president, a committee had been appointed with Mrs. Manning as chairman, which was to ask Congress for $100,000 for the use of the board of lady managers. It was hoped that this matter might be brought to the attention of Congress at the special session in the fall of 1903, but the delay caused by the necessity of electing a new president retarded all the work of the board. Upon the election of Mrs. Manning to the presidency a new legislative committee was appointed which, unfortunately, was not able to report the success of its mission of securing the appropriation until March 1, 1904, by which time all the organizations had perfected their plans for that year, in consequence of which all idea of congresses was reluctantly abandoned.

In the meantime responses were received from many of the larger organizations, some of which said that experience had shown that the interest of their stated meetings suffered when they were held where there were so many counter attractions as were offered by a great exposition; others did not respond at all. Of those who accepted and held meetings in St. Louis in the season of 1904, were the various fraternal organizations of women, the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the National Mothers' Congress, the International Council, Council of Jewish Women, the Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the P.E.O.'s, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Women's Relief Corps of the Grand Army of the Republic, and the Association of Collegiate Alumnae.

All the meetings which were held at the Louisiana Purchase
Exposition were largely attended and noted for the enthusiasm of
the members and the great interest taken in the objects
represented by the respective organizations.

Respectfully submitted.
C.B. BUCHWALTER.
M.M. ANDREWS.
F.M. HANGER.

Pursuant to adjournment, on March 5, 1904, a meeting of the board of lady managers was called by the president for April 28, 1904, to enable the members to be present at the opening exercises of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which were to take place on April 30 of that year.