water , ▁an ▁extremely ▁influ ential ▁Republican ▁and ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁President ▁William ▁McK in ley , ▁and ▁other ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁organ izing ▁committee ▁of ▁the ▁Trans - Miss iss ippi ▁International ▁Ex position , ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁a ▁bill ▁was ▁introduced ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁that ▁provided ▁an ▁appropri ation ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁carry ▁out ▁an ▁Indian ▁Congress ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁as ▁the ▁Ex po . ▁After ▁it ▁passed ▁in ▁the ▁Senate , ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁mon opol ized ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁prevent ing ▁a ▁vote ▁on ▁the ▁bill . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁$ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁was ▁made ▁available ▁for ▁the ▁event ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁App ropri ations ▁Act ▁by ▁the ▁President . ▁That ▁was ▁a ▁month ▁after ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Ex po ▁opened . ▁Fund ing ▁was ▁also ▁made ▁available ▁by ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁American ▁Eth n ology , ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ▁Institution . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁W . ▁A . ▁Jones , ▁the ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Indian ▁Affairs , ▁sent ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁each ▁Indian ▁Agency ▁to ▁appeal ▁for ▁at ten de es . ▁The ▁purpose ▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁Congress , ▁as ▁he ▁stated , ▁was : ▁ ▁About ▁ ▁The ▁entire ▁Indian ▁Congress ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁eth n ologist ▁James ▁Mo oney ▁and ▁Army ▁Captain ▁William ▁Mer cer