THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 4Il 
paring the facilities for the Exposition, and foreign coun- 
tries were invited to take part in the exhibition of manu- 
factures and resources. 
Professor Baird had been urging the Appropriations 
Committees of the House and Senate to give him the 
money for a building for the Museum. None of the 
committee had any idea that the receipts of the Exposi- 
tion would be such as to pay expenses, much less to return 
the money “‘loaned” by Congress. Perhaps the idea that 
he would cease from troubling may have influenced some 
of the members, but at any rate he was put off with the 
promise that though they would do nothing at the time, 
yet, if the Directors of the Exposition ever returned the 
loan, he should have money for a building. This promise 
of course had no legal standing, but the members of these 
great committees were generally permanent during their 
continuance as members of Congress, and a recommenda- 
tion by the committee carried preponderant weight in 
both House and Senate. Satisfied with this pledge, Baird 
called together the scientific staff of the Museum, both 
paid and volunteer workers, and put the matter before 
them. That the Museum should make such an exhibit 
as would enlist the sympathies, not only of Congress, but 
of the millions of American citizens who would visit the 
Exposition, and bring popular approval to back up his 
request for a suitable building, was the object aimed at. 
Every man burned with enthusiasm and hope, and each 
vowed to himself that nothing on his part should be want- 
ing toensure success. For once the labors of the staff, each 
in his particular line, approximated in energy and perse- 
verance to those of Professor Baird. Many worked late 
into the night, daily for months. The result was what had 
been hoped for. Many visitors averred that the National 
