until the awards are
officially announced.

Very truly, yours,

D.R. FRANCIS,
_President_.

Hon. J.M. ALLEN,
_Acting President National Commission, St. Louis, Mo_.

Shortly after the receipt of the foregoing letter from President Francis
another letter bearing the same matter was delivered to the Commission,
as follows:

NOVEMBER 4, 1904.

DEAR SIR: Since writing you a hurried note this morning, I have
read your letter more carefully, and desire to state in addition
that, referring to that portion of your letter relating to what
you term an "agreement" between this company and the National
Commission that no award can be made without being approved by
the Commission, I beg to say I am not advised of such an
agreement or understanding having been made. It was our
understanding that, before official notification to exhibitors,
a list of the awards made by the superior jury would be
furnished by the secretary of said jury to the Commission and
also to this company for their information and for the purpose
of giving to the Commission and to this company an opportunity
to call the attention of the jury (or the committee of five now
acting as such) to any errors which the Commission or this
company might discover, so that the same might be considered and
corrected before giving official notification to the exhibitors.
My understanding is that the committee of five are sending these
lists as fast as its clerical force can make them out.

Yours, truly,

D.R. FRANCIS,
_President_.

Hon. JOHN M. ALLEN,
_Acting President National Commission_.

On November 5, Mr. Allen addressed another communication to President
Francis, as follows:

NOVEMBER 5, 1904.

SIR: The National Commission is in receipt of your two letters
of the 4th instant, in reply to one of same date sent to you.
The first of the two letters recognizes our contention. Your
second letter is one of the most surprising communications we
have ever had from the local company. You seem to have mended
your hold after your first letter of the 4th instant and for
some reason repudiated what Mr. Miller, Mr. Betts, and the
writer clearly understood to be an acquiescence in and an
agreement to the contentions as to the rights of the National
Commission contained in our letter to you of October 18. W