Foreign nations must have time to consider and act upon the invitation, and, in many
cases, to await the action of their legislative assemblies before deciding, organizing their
commissions, and making the necessary appropriations ; and if they do not have ample
time, they cannot be expected to accept.
They cannot be invited or notified by the President of the United States until, accord-
ing to the terms of the Act of Congress, the Governor of the State of Pennsylvania shall
have informed him that provision has been made for the erection of suitable buildings for
the purposes of the Exhibition.
Foreign countries and our own country have to be canvassed, and the people informed
of the nature of the Exhibition. Careful selections must be made from articles representing
every industry and resource. Ample time will be required for the production of works of
art and large machinery, and many other articles which impart splendor and instructive-
ness to such exhibitions.
Besides the consumption of time in the transportation of articles from abroad, much will
be consumed in the erection of the vast buildings, and the arrangement of the goods in
them.
The inclosed printed papers contain information as to the organization of the Centennial
Board of Finance, and the general purposes of the Exhibition.
Your attention to the subject, in all its bearings upon the temporal and spiritual welfare
of the people, is most respectfully invited.
By order of the Executive Committee of the United States Centennial Conmiission.
WILLIAM P. BLAKE, Executive Commissioner,

DANIEL J. MORRELL, Pennsylvania, Chairman,
JOHN V. L. PRUYN, New York. JAMES T. EARLE, Maryland.
GEORGE H. CORLISS, Rhode Island. JOHN LYNCH, Louisiana.
JOHN G. STEVENS, New Jersey. WALTER W. WOOD, Virginia.
GEORGE B. LORING, Massachusetts. ALFRED T. GOSHORN, Ohio.
