The age-herald., 1899-01-03
 NEW YEARS DAY IN MONTGOMERY Most of the Officials Mere Busy Draw ing Salaries. coy. JOHNSTON ABSENT He is Expected to Return to the Cap ital Today.
coy. JOHNSTON ABSENT
MEETING OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Appointed to Frame General Revenue Bill Will be Held Wednesday, Big Bond Issues-The
 States Indebtedness.

Montgomery January -(Special)-Mont- gomery is observing today as New Years Day." and there is little business being transacted, save in the retail establish ments.
 -. has been dull day at the capitol All of the departments were open today, but there was little business transacted save the drawing of sa.arles by most of the states employees. 1t is not new year with the state, but the beginning of the second quarter. The fiscal year begins on the 1st of October.
 Governor Johnston has not returned to the capital. From his hunting trip in Bald win county, the governor went to Birmng- ham Saturday to spend the first day of the new year with his family. He is expected to return here tomorrow. Mrs. Johnston will probably accompany him.
 Wednesday morning the governor will go to Anniston to review the Third Alabama regiment
 The Revenue Committee
 The special committee appointed to frame a general revenue bill to be submitted to the full committee upon the reconvening or the assembly, will meet in the capitol Wednesday. Representative J. J. Mitchell, of Lauderdale, is the chairman of the spe- cial committee. His associates arc Senators Meador and Mathews, and Representatives Brandon and Kyle.
 The revenne bill prepared by Judge Wood was introduced in the house on the first day by Chairman Mitchell, and was referred to the ways and means committee when l~s no nearer the house the day of adjournment than on the day it was introduced. The hitch has been in getting through some pro- visions to have corporations bear an equal share of the taxes. It is always difficult job to pass legislation objectionable to the corporations, and very little legislation of this nature will slip through the present house. Should the special revenue ccm- mittee agree to report the Woods bill as whole, the measure would probably never reach the house. It must first be considered bX the fuil committee. An effort will be made to have the special committee report direct to the house, and this effort should succeed. Otherwise 8 revenue bill may never be passed by this assembly. If the Woods bill is passed the treasury will be able to meet the increased drafts for the public school fund. If not, there may be no increase in the present fund.
 Big Bond Issues
 If no revenue bill can be agreed upon the general assembly may issue bonds to in- crease the public school fund. The body has shown itself to be a "bond-issuing" one. Nearly two millions of dollars in bonds were authorized by the first half of the present session. Generally these bonds have been authorized for the purpose of allowing the different municipalities to make improvements, as water works, sew craze, electric light etc. The bonds au- thorized are as follows:
 Eufaula, s15,000 Mobile, $750,O00; Dallas county, 0000; Jackson county $250 GOO; Brewton, $50,0c0; Athens, s6000; Oakman, $5,OOO; Tuscumbia, s26,0OO; Florence, s10o OO5; Troy, s13S,0O0; Montgomery. s55000; Selma Cotton Mill company s200,0O0 Huntsville s20,000; Tuskegee. $30,0O0; Avondale, s25 900; Masons of Alabama Con temple) $15, 900. This foots us total of s1 TAI 900 of bonds. There are still pending a number of bills to issue more bonds. There seems to be bond issuing craze in Alabama
 The States Indebtedness
 There is no way to ascertain the amount of the bonded indebtedness of the towns and cities in the state, but it is many