The Republican journal., 1903-12-31
Letter from Washington.
DEMOCRATIC ACTIVITY AT TIE
NATIONAL CAPITAL. APPROPRIA-
TIONS FOR MAINE.
Correspondence of The Journal.l

CORRESPONDENCE of The Journal
WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. %. The
air at the capital has been charged with
politics for the last two weeks. 1t
promises to be so for the next three
months. Democratic orators and poll
ticians with nothing to lose are making
desperate effort to engage the atten-
ton of the country and make it appear
that there should now be some reason
for having confidence in them.
The wise men here are not alarmed
over the Democratic activity. The
same cry has been raised in Congresses
gone by and has often been demon
strated to have been very idle. The
most that has happened to give the
Democrats encouragement is their
agreement, after half a century OF in
dependent action, to stand by each
other in the Senate and act in conform
ity with instructions of the caucus.
But Republicans have been doing that
for these many years and it has become
such usual thing for them that they
think nothing of it. The Democrats
are like children with new toys.
But Washington is bound to be the
center of political agitation and there
fore the talk of the politicians in House
and Senate furnishes cue to the poll
ticiaps who gather here or who read
the papers elsewhere. There is always
more or less of hurrah preceding a
presidential campaign. The Republl-
cans are showing but little activity but
Senate Democrats have been meeting
in Mr.. Gorman's room almost daily, on
the gallery floor of the capitol and only
a few steps from Senator Hale's room
for the naval committee.
Republicans were never IN better
shape to enter campaign. MI. RoCSe-
welt is widely popular and is at the
same time honest and fearless. The
party is sol.dly behind him. The Presl-
dent regards his nomination next June
as a matter that he will no longer dis
cuss with his friends, because he re-
CARDS it as supertiuous. The political
speeches in Congress will be resumed
with vigor as soon as Congress begins
again and the political agitation will
continue til Congress adjourns.
y large portion of the Senators and
likewise large portion of the 3S6 men,
bers have said good bye to each other
and scattered to the four points of the
compass. The absence of all partisan
ship in the welcomes and fareWells OF
Congress always constitutes consplcu-
ous social feature. Some of the warm
est friendships are found among men
of opposite political convictions. Those
Republicans who secure the warm per-
sonal regard of Democrats, and vice
versa, generally get along best in secur-
ing legislation. Both branches of Con-
gress are always so organized that an
opponent. of whatever party, can gen
erally make trouble if not absolutely
hinder al undertaking.
1t is also noticeable that Northern
ers and Southerners fraternlze closely.
That often means Republican and
Democrat but not necessarily SO. One
of the warmest friends ex-Gov. Bur
leigh OF the Third Maine District has
made III Congress was the late General
James y. Walker of Virginia. Gen.
Walker was one of the commanders of
the famous >tonewall brigade and a
notable Confederate soldier although a
Republican. But a number of Gov.
Burleigh's friendships are across the
center aisle. His kind personal consid-
Grafton OF everybody with whom he
comes III contact appeals to the ideas
of courtesy entertained by the South
erners and, while he never surrenders
his convictions on public questions,
these Southerners prize his friendship.
Similar examples might be mentioned
of the personal cordiality that pre-
walls in the legislative branch of the
government. AS rule, with members
and Senators who take anything like a
leading part in Congressional affairs,
there is 10 drawing of sectional lines
or party lres in strictly personal rela-
tions. A man admires man, as such,
without needing arbitrary distinctions.
OF course, there are feuds sometimes
across the center aisle, of a purely
domestic character 1t is no rare thing
for Republicans of the State delegation
not to be on speaking terms, and like
wise of Democrats. But those are only
instances proving how human men are
when elevated to high office. Such
things are undoubtedly becoming rarer
in Washington as the years 60 by.
Secretary of Commerce and Labor
Cortelyou has started out with the in
tention of doing all he possibly can
towards improving the lighthouse ser
vice along the Maine coast. He has
asked Congress for several appropria-