In the early part of the year 1900 the citizens of St. Louis inaugurated a movement looking to the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory by an international exposition. A temporary organization having been effected, the subject was presented to Congress through a committee of citizens appointed for that purpose. Congress conditionally approved the enterprise by enacting a law which in substance provided that the Government would extend the required aid to the proposed exposition, providing the petitioners would furnish assurance that the sum of $10,000,000 had been raised for and on account of inaugurating and carrying forward an exposition at the city of St. Louis, Mo., in the year 1903, to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. Prior to March 3, 1901, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, then consisting of an association of persons, furnished the Secretary of the Treasury proof to his satisfaction that said sum of $10,000,000 had been raised for the purpose indicated. Thereupon the act hereinbefore cited was passed and duly approved by the President. Including the appropriation made by the act of Congress, the sum of $15,000,000 was provided for the exposition, as follows: Donated by the city of St. Louis ...................... $5,000,000 Subscription to the capital stock of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company ......................... 5,000,000 Appropriated by Congress, through the act aforesaid ... 5,000,000 On April 1, 1901, in accordance with section 2 of the act of Congress, the President appointed a nonpartisan commission, consisting of nine members, known and designated as the "Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission," the names of the appointees and the States in which they resided being as follows: JOHN M. THURSTON Nebraska. THOMAS H. CARTER Montana. WILLIAM LINDSAY Kentucky. GEORGE W. MCBRIDE Oregon. FREDERICK A. BETTS Connecticut. JOHN M. ALLEN Mississippi. MARTIN H. GLYNN New York. JOHN F. MILLER Indiana. PHILIP D. SCOTT Arkansas. The name of the Commission being somewhat lengthy it became known and was referred to in the law and proceedings throughout as "The National Commission." Pursuant to a call by the Secretary of State, the members of the Commission met at the Southern Hotel, in the city of St. Louis, on April 23, 1901, and adjourned until the following day, when organization was perfected. Thomas H. Carter, of Montana, was elected president; Martin H. Glynn, of New York, vice-president, and Mr. Joseph Flory, of St. Louis, Mo., secretary. The following committees were appointed: _Executive._ THOMAS H. CARTER. JOHN F. MILLER. PHILIP D. SCOTT. JOHN M. ALLEN. FREDERICK A. BETTS. _Judiciary._ WILLIAM LINDSAY. JOHN M. THURSTON. GEORGE W. MCBRIDE. _Plan and Scope._ GEORGE W. MCBRIDE. FREDERICK A. BETTS. WILLIAM LINDSAY. MARTIN H. GLYNN. JOHN F. MILLER.