The age-herald., 1898-12-06

world will watch this session as lta has never watched one before. Congress is full of talk and will begin to talk at once. There is something to be said on both sides, and each member will have something to say.
 The ball will in truth open on schedule time. I9 I
 The music might be said to have already begun
 Alnbama's Delegation
 The members of the Alabama delegation were all in the house when the gavel fell this morning. The most conspicuous mem- Der on the floor was Major-General Wheel CT. Whose presence was the occasion for an outburst of pplause. There was hardly a member who did not take occasion to shake the little generals hand and congratulate him on his war record. -tt
 Representative Bankhead was a subject of much interest, especially from the friends of MT. Bailey, who see in him the cause of much disintegration among the Texas following. A number of the old members who have been al sea over the matter of the minority leadership took oc- easion to promise their support to the Ala tamian in the fight which will take place as soon as. the Fifty-sixth congress con yeneS.
 The secretary of the treasury sent his report to congress today with the recom- mendations for the appropriations for riv- CTS for the year ending in June, 1900 For improving the Chattahoochee river in Geor- gia and Alabama $5O,0O0; for improving the Coosa river between Rome, Ga, and the East Tennessee bridge in Alabama, $100 900; for improving the Coosa between We tumpka and the bridge, $25O, ,00O for improv- ing Alabama river, $75 900; Black Warrior river, $I5,000; for Warrior river from the mouth to Tuscaloosa. $25O, O,OOO for Tombig- bee river from mouth to Demopolis, $100 ,OO0; for the 1oinbigbee from Demopolis to Co., lumbus, Miss, $10,000
 Spectacular Occasion
 The opening session of the congress. to- day was a spectacular occasion, animated and brilliant. There were more than the usual number of distinguished Utrsonages in the thronged galleries, including many representatives of foreign governments, high officials and ladies and gentlemen con- spicuous in social and political life. The greetings of members was most cordial and there was no outcropp.ng of partisan ran cor to mar the occasion.
 One of the most striking incidents was the cordial meeting between the floor lead CTS of the respective sides, Messrs. Dingley and Baily. In view of the gossip about the possibility of MT. Bailey being deposed as the minority leader, 1t Is significant that the Speaker named MT. Bailey as the mi nority member of the committee to wait upon the president, an honor usually be- slowed upon the recognized leader of the minority.
 Speaker Reed received a warm welcome from both sides of the house when he ascended the rostrum to call the house tor order, but the greatest personal ovation given to any one man was that given to Major-General Joseph Wheeler of Alabama, who has not been seen by many of his, old, colleagues since he went to the front at the head of tle cavalry division of General Shafter's army. -5s. .
 MT. McMillin of Tennessee and MT. Say. CTS, of Texas, who have been elected gov-- ernors of their respective states since con-, gress adjourned, were also overwhe I'm ed with congratula tions.
 The floral tributes today were unusually numerous and made the hall a yeritabie bower of beautiful flowers.
 ss.t The Floral Tributes ,f s.,. The. proceedings themselves were dull, ,talIc interest; centering in the reading of the. presidents message. For two hours the clerk droned through the long document, but the interest never Jagged. With rapt attention the recital of the war was fol- lowed No sign of approval or disapproyaI interrupted the readinga sse4 -
 The presidents review of the causes lead ing up to the war, the manner in which preparations for localities were made and the succession of victories on land and sseas were listened to with rapt attention. The other paragraphs were followed with, all most as much interest. There was no ex- pression of approval or disapproval throughout the reading. As soon as the. reading was concluded the message was or dered printed and then at $50 the house ad- journed.
 Among the bills and resolutions intro duced in the house today were the follow ing:
 By MT. Brownlow, of Tennessee: To pro- vide for the redemption of any coupon of any interest-bearing bond of the United States which coupon is actually destroyed after having been detached.
 MT. Brewer, of Alabama: To repeal the act providing ways and means to meet war expenditures approved June 13, 1S9S
 Gen. Wheeler's Resolution
 General Wheeler, of Alabama today in- troduced in the house resolution providing that "In recognition of the patriotic devo- tion and bounteous benevolence of Miss Helen Miller Gould to the soldiers of the army of the United States during the war with Spain, the thanks of congress are hereby rendered her; and congress hereby authorizes and directs that gold medal With dPpiopi ate QeSlSnS, De prepared bX the director of the mint, and that said med al be presented to her by the president of the United States at such time and in such manner as he may determine"
 Representative Sulzer, of New York. ranking democratic member of the house committee on military affairs, introduced a resolution directing and authorizing the committee on military affairs to investigate | the war department and the conduct of inc | Spanish-Amerlcan war.
 | The resolution is as follows:
 | Resolved, That the committee on militia | " affairs be, and the same hereby is. au- l thorized and directed to investigate the war department and the conduct of the re- | cent war between Spain and the United | States and report all of said proceedines. with their findings, conclusions and recom- | mendations, to the house of representatives | with all convenient speed. T l | Hoods Sarsaparlla insures good digestion and strength to the vital organs. Insist up- I