Under the authorizing act, a national commission, designated as the World's Columbian Commission, (WCC), was created. The WCC was composed of two commissioners from each state, territory, and the District of Columbia. There were also eight at-large commissioners. The state and territorial commissioners were selected by their respective governors, and the commissioner from the District of Columbia was selected by the President. When all were appointed, the WCC commissioners met in Chicago. Allowed payment not to exceed $6 per day, the commissioners were instructed to find an appropriate site. The WCC was to determine the plan and scope of the exposition, as well as to allot space for exhibitors, classify exhibits, and appoint judges and examiners. The WCC was required to also appoint a Board of Lady Managers. The WCC extended invitations to foreign governments to take part in the exposition, and was generally in charge of all dealings with the representatives and exhibitors of national and foreign governments. The first commission meeting was June 26, 1890.
WCC Officers
President Thomas W. Palmer
1st Vice President Thomas M. Waller
2nd Vice President M. H. DeYoung
3rd Vice President D. B. Penn
4th Vice President G. W. Allen
5th Vice President A. B. Andrews
Secretary John T. Dickinson
Vice-Chairman, Executive Committee Harvey P. Platt
Board of Lady Managers Officers
President Mrs. Potter Palmer
Secretary Susan Gale Cooke
Vice President Mrs. Ralph Trautman
Vice President Mrs. Edwin Burleigh
Vice President Mrs. Charles Price
Vice President Mrs. Katherline L. Minor
Vice President Mrs. Beriah Wilkins
Vice President Mrs. M. D. Thatcher
Vice President Mrs. Flora Beall Ginty
Vice President Mrs. Margaret Blaine Salisbury
Vice President Mrs. Russell B. Harrison
The World's Columbian Exhibition Corporation (WCEC)was, by act of Congress, to provide the buildings and grounds for the exhibits and the locations for the buildings. This local corporation, which raised the initial $5,000,000 to secure Chicago's bid, was, in essence, to provide for all necessary preliminary work for the WCC. The WCEC was eventually headed by a Council of Administration, composed of two members of the WCC and two from the local directory.
WCEC Officers
President-H. H. Higgenbotham
1st Vice President - F. W. Peck
2nd Vice President- R. A. Waller
Secretary- H. O. Edmonds
Asst. Secretary- S. A. Crawford
Auditor- W. K. Ackerman
Asst. Auditor- C. V. Barrington
Treasurer- A. F. Seeberger
WCEC Departments
Law Department - Edwin Walker, Solicitor General
Agriculture - W. I. Buchanan, Chief
Horticulture- J. M. Samuels, Chief
Fisheries- J. W. Collins, Chief
Mines- F. J. V. Skiff, Chief
Machinery - L. W. Robinson, Chief
Transportation- W. A. Smith, Chief
Manufactures- J. Allison, Chief
Electricity - Prof. J. P. Barrett, Chief
Fine Arts- H. C. Ives, Chief
Liberal Arts - S. H. Peabody, Chief
Publicity & Promotion- M. P. Handy, Chief
Foreign Affairs- W. Fearn, Chief
The World's Congress Auxiliary served as the authorized adjunct of the exposition. Its goal was to supplement the buildings and grounds with demonstrations of the "wonderful achievements of the new age in science, literature, education, government, jurisprudence, morals, charity, religion, and other departments of human activity, as the most effective means of increasing the fraternity, progress, prosperity, and peace of mankind." It was a series of congresses at which the greatest thinkers of the world would discuss these and other international issues, focusing on international law and cooperation as a bond of union and a means of mutual protection. The Congress featured 1,283 sessions and 5,978 speeches by 3,817 speakers. The Congress was organized so that speeches were presented, but speakers not directly questioned by the audiences. This meant that the Congress was not aan open forum debate, but the discussions were widely followed. The topics and materials presented were of great interest and were widely followed in the press and quite influential. The largest discussion was on religion. For the first time in world history, religious leaders from all major religions were invited to come and discuss their beliefs.
President- Charles C. Bonney
Vice President- Thomas B. Bryan
Treasurer- Lyman Gage
Secretary- Benjamin Butterworth
President, Women's Branch- Mrs. Potter Palmer
Exhibition Executive Officers:
Director-General - George R. Davis
President, WCC- T. W. Palmer
President, WCEC - Harlow N. Higginbotham
Director of Works- Daniel H. Burnham
Council of Administration:
Harlow N. Higginbotham, George V. Massey, Charles H. Schwab, J. W. St.Clair, A. W. Sawyer (Secretary)
Bruce R. Schulman