358 
WISCONSIN STATE AGBICULTUBAL SOCIETY, 
to raise means. The commissioners were appointed on the 
recommendation of governors of states and territories, by com¬ 
mission from the President of the United States. The first 
meeting of the Centennial Commission was held in Philadelphia 
on the 4th of March, 1871. Finding itself without means, this 
subject first attracted its special attention after its organiza¬ 
tion. It was finally resolved to ask congress to create a Centen¬ 
nial Board of Finance, with authority to raise by stock subscrip¬ 
tion an amount not exceeding ten millions of dollars, in shares of 
ten dollars each; and the proceeds thus raised to be used for the 
erection of suitable buildings, fixtures and appurtenances for car¬ 
rying the exhibition to its close. Congress acceded to this request, 
and on the first of June, 1872, a law creating the board of finance 
was passed. Thus was presented the novel spectacle of two boards 
— the one to direct for what purpose the money should be ex¬ 
pended, and the other to furnish the money with which to pay the 
bills. For no purpose less grand than the celebration contem¬ 
plated could two boards thus constituted have acted in harmony. 
But actuated by motives of pure patriotism, the members of each 
board discharged their duties faithfully, and business progressed 
in harmony, to the successful termination of the grandest exhi¬ 
bition of the resources of the world that has ever been held in any 
country. 
FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS INVITED. 
It is not our purpose here to follow out the history of the labors 
connected with the preparation of this exhibition. This would re¬ 
quire volumes. A few general points only can be touched upon. 
By the act it was provided that whenever the governor of Pennsyl¬ 
vania should inform the president of the United States that pro¬ 
vision had been made for the erection of exhibition buildings, the 
president should declare, by proclamation, that the exhibition 
would be held in 1876, and that foreign nations should be invited 
to participate in it. On the 5th of July, 1873, such proclamation 
and invitation was issued, and the following governments respond-^ 
ed favorably, and participated in the exhibition: 
' GOVERNMENTS PARTICIPATING. 
Argentine Republic, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, 
Chili, China, Denmark, Egypt, France with Algeria, Germany? 
