ch. Moreover, limiting the
time for use of the tickets, as proposed, would tend to
stimulate attendance at the fair during the summer months.

The Commission is not insensible to the natural desire of the
Exposition Company to give some privilege to the stockholders
who subscribed to the capital stock of the corporation, but,
while appreciating the generous motive of the executive
committee, the Commission feels constrained to withhold its
approval for the reason that approval thereof would, in the
judgment of the Commission, violate the letter and spirit of
section 20 of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1901, which,
in so far as applicable, reads as follows:

"That there shall be repaid into the Treasury of the United
States the same proportionate amount of the aid given by the
United States as shall be repaid to either the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition Company or the city of St. Louis."

The proposal to give to stockholders of the Exposition Company
tickets of admission good until December 1 at half price confers
upon the stock a special privilege not contemplated by the act
of Congress, and is apparently in the nature of a dividend or
pecuniary benefit in which the United States can not
participate.

I am also directed by the Commission to say that if, in the
opinion of the company, the best interests of the fair would be
advanced by making the proposed tickets good for the entire time
of the fair the Commission would view such action with favor,
providing the price of the ticket should be fixed at $15.

Yours, very respectfully,
JOSEPH FLORY,
_Secretary_.

Mr. WALTER B. STEVENS,
_Secretary Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, Building_.

On May 23, 1904, a conference was held between the National Commission
and a committee on conference appointed by the Exposition Company. At
such conference the National Commission insisted that the proposed
special coupon tickets be sold to the public, while the conferees on the
part of the company urged the acceptance of the original rule proposed
by said company, limiting the sale of stockholders only. Finally, upon
the proposal of the conferees of the company, and in order to reach an
agreement, the National Commission assented to a rule whereby the
company should be authorized to sell such tickets to its stockholders,
also to any person p