Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-12-14
CONGRESS CONVENES
Our National Lawmakers Once
More at Work.
The PRESIDENTS ANNUAL MESSAGE.
The Reading of the Important Docu.
ment Listened TO With Unabated
Interest The Message
Summarized.

Washington, December Con
gress reassembled Monday under cir
cumstances of unusual public inter.
est. The same congress, six months
ago, declared war against Spain, and
now, with the war fought and won,
1t came together again for the first
legislative consideration of the ques-
tons developed by the eventful
months just passed. The spirit of the
occasion was not, however, one of i'm
mediate expectancy, for the few
months left to the existence of the
FHty-hfth congress gave promise of
Hptle more than a beginning of the
momentous policies and problems
growing out of tine war.
AS usual, all washington turned
Its attention to the capitol for that
gala event which marks the opening
day of a session. The weather i'm
posed no barriers, for the hurricane
of Sunday had given way to clear
ing skies and balmy air. Long be-
fore the noon hour, when the senate
and house began their work, the cor
ridors were filed with sureine
crowds, centering in the rotunda and
Statuary hall, and pushing toward
the private galleries. No evidences
remained of the explosion and fire
which recently ravaged the building.
By IL o'clock the leaders began to
make their appearance and the pub
lie galleries filled rapidly.
The opening session of the house
was a spectacular occasion, animated
and brilliant. There were more than
the usual number of distinguished
personages in the thronged galleries,
including many representatives of
foreign governments, high officials
and political life. The greetings of
Uhe members were most cordial and
there was no outcropping of partisan
rancor to mar the occasion. One of
the most striking incidents was the
cordial meeting between the floor
leaders of the respective sides,
Messrs. Dingley and Bailey. In view
of the gossip about the possibility Of
Mr.. Bailey being deposed as the mi
nority leader, it is significant that
the speaker named Mr.. Bailey as the
minority member of the committee
to wait upon the president, AN honor
always bestowed upon the recognized
leader of the minority.
Speaker Reed received a warm well
come from both sides of the house
when he assembled the rostrum to call
greatest personal ovation to any
member was that given Major Gem
eral Wheeler, of Alabama, who has
not been seen by many of his old coll
leagues since he went to the front at
the head Of the cavalry division of
General Skaters army. Mr.. w. A.
Stone, of Pennsylvania; Mr.. McMil-
lin, of Tennessee, and Mr.. Savers, Of
Texas, who have been elected govern.
ors of their respective states since
congress adjourned, were also over
whelmed with con gratulations.
The floral tributes Monday were
unusually numerous and made the
hall a veritable bower of beautiful
flowers.
The proceedings themselves were
dull, all interest centering in the
reading of the presidents message.
For over two hours the clerk droned
through the long document, but the
interest of members and spectators
never tagged. With rapt attention
they followed the presidents recital
of the war and listened eagerly to
he had to offer.
approval interrupted the reading. As
soon as the reading was concluded,
on motion of Mr.. Dingley, the mes
sage was ordered printed, and then,
at $3.50 p. NJ, the house adjourned.
When the senate convened the
chamber presented a notable and
beautiful appearance. By II o'clock
filled almost to their capacity with a
distinguished assemblage, including
many ladies in brilliant attire.
On the floor of the senate the dis
play of flowers was unusually beau
tiful, even for the opening day of a
session of congress. The odor of the
| flowers filled the chamber.
The memorable scenes enacted in
the chamber during the last session,
and the momentous events that have
occurred since congress last adjourn
ed, created a feeling of intense expec-
fancy on the part of both the spec
tators and the members of the sem
ate. This was made manifest by the
long line of people in the corridors
anxious to gain admission to the gal
leries, and by the early arrival of the
senators on the floor.
Through the courtesy of the vice
president, the members of the Joint
iISA COIuuIISSIOH were dunltueu 10
the floor of the senate. and were the
recipients of much attention.
just before the senate was called
to order several we'll known members
of the diplomatic corps appeared in
the diplomatic gallery.
Among them were Sir Julian
Pauncefote, ambassador of Great
Britain to the United States and dean
Of the corps, with party from the
British embassy; Mr.. WI Ting Fang,
the Chinese minister, and party, and
Mr.. Ye PUN Chin, the Korean min
iStar
All were interested spectators OF
the opening scenes of the session and
attentive listeners to the reading OF
the presidents message.
During a recess of three-quarters
OF an hour, while the senate was
awaiting the presentation of the mes.
sage from the president, the members
of the joint high commission held an
informal levee, greeting personally
nearly all of the members of the
American senate
The reading of the presidents mes
sage, which occupied two hours and
eighteen minutes, was received with
very careful attention for an hour,
but after that the senators drifted to
the cloakrooms or to the COMMITTEES
rooms, where they could peruee the
message at their leisure in the print