The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

| Congress The greater part OF the fnterna-
tional conventions Of a permanent eharac-
/ ter and a number Of special congresses
will meet there this summer, and will
/ hold TO the exhibit itself something Of the
relation Of theory to practice. of idea TO its
material embodiment The building Of the
/ handsome structure within the Exposition
/ grounds serves double purpose II places
conveniently at hand Illustrative material
| for papers to be read during me sessions
! Of the congresses and enables .fhe-exhibits
/ to be presented, not as a lifeless mass OF
/ objects, but as organisms clearly develop.
ed and having a practical bearing on the
! things of life Thus is established an adj
] vantageous system Of reciprocity, and the
! congresses are made to serve as living
/ guide books for the student and as an in
! teleetual clearing house for their own
/ members
The advantages from a social standpoint
! afforded by this arrangement will be
! readily appreciated. Eminent men and
| specialists may find out when the congress
! in which they are interested, will hold its
session They may then make arrange
ments 10 be in Paris at the same time TO
meet colleagues. and, perhaps, strangers
having a bend OF sympathy in their COM
mon interests This advance knowledge
also gives opportunity for providing vari-
Gus kinds Of entertainments.
Delegates From Many Nations.
The congresses as an adjunct to the Ex
position have been made a recognized part
Of the latter. to the extent that each coun-
try has been requested through its com
missioner general, TO designate two or
three persons for each congress. These
will be known as the official delegates
from his country. This does not absolute
ly limit the representation from a country
to the number mentioned. Local, national
organizations. and scientific bureaus may
send delegates; but the actual work Of
each congress will be assigned to official
delegates. So great is the interest mani
Tested in the congresses and so palpable
is us connection with the material fea-
lures Of the Exposition, that all who de-
sire TO receive the benefits of the meet
ings, may become members on payment OF
a small fee.
Never before has an exposition had such
a feature in close touch with its exhibits
At our own Worlds Fair. for instance va
rious congresses met in Chicago during
the year Of 1898, but they were not init
mately associated with the fair Special
reports were published, but not embodied
in a comprehensive final report as will be
done by our Commissioner General at
Paris.
Heretofore the selection Of delegates has
been taken up at such late hour that II
has been impossible to secure represen-
tative men for the service. Realizing that
the greater part OF the Exposition, that
part which is Of permanent value, might
be preserved in reports Of delegates to the
one hundred and fifty congresses Of the !
Paris Exposition, the Commissioner Cen
eral for the United States, Hon. Ferdinand
Peck has taken time by the forelock and
set about d thorough organization Of his
work. He has created n special depart |
ment for the selection of the body which |
will represent our participation in the con- /
crosses. This department has been placed /
In charge OF Prof James Howard Gore. as
it is closely related TO the jury work he |
also has in hand. Mr.. Pecks selection /
meets every present neea and possible con- /
tingency Of the situation.
The duties Of the Office require for their .
successful performance rare intellectual (
discrimination and tact, executive ability, 1
and by no means least, experience. quail |
ties for all OF which, Prof Gore has been .
weighed and not found wanting in his .
previous service as Commissioner General /
of the United States to the Brussels and /
Antwerp Expeditions, and juror and score
tary OF the jurors committee Of the I
Worlds Fair Chicago. He is professor Of !
mathematics in Columbian University.
having been connected with the institu-
ton during the past twenty years. He is
a thorough lingust, extensive traveller,
author Of several treatises on scientific
subjects, contributor to magazines and pc
riodicals, and has made a special study Of
American commerce in the progressive
stages OF its Advancement.
The manifold nature Of his duties make
q impossible for Prof. Gore TO attend to all
the details OF his work. An important
share Of the new work falls TO the lot OF
his assistant. Miss Annie L. Pierce bright
young Columbian graduate, whose init
mate knowledge of the Exposition work
renders her invaluable TO its progress.
A description of the task deyolving upon
the chairman Of the American jurors and
selector Of delegates will be essential to a
clear view of this feature Of the EXPOSE
tion. In the first place, press notices have
been sent out as each Congress organized.
and attention called 10 1t through the
medium Of personal correspondence Let
tiers have been sent out TO persons having
an interest In particular congress, asking
If they expected to attend the Exposition
during its sessions. and requesting the I
names of other prominent people who
might contemplate being in Paris at the
same time. In this manner general inter
est has been awakened in the congresses,
and material for delegates, in a measure,
catalogued In all cases heads of depart
ments and chiefs OF scientific bureaus Of