The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-29
POLITICS QUIET
 IN WASHINGTON Republicans Must Take Teddy
 for Veal or Woe DEMOCRATS SEEM BLUE All of Them Have Feeling, However, That Everything VIII Turn
 Out Right at St. 
DEMOCRATS SEEM BLUE
BY PATTERSON srEALEY.

Washington, February 2s.-(Special.)- Notwithstanding that congress is in the middle of It's first session and that usual ly at this time politics and business makes its session lively and interesting it must be said that things have been unusually tame and dull.
 After the discussion and settlement of the Panama treaty In the senate that body has taken up mere routine or ordinary legislation and there is little to quarrel over. The republican policy in the house for big navy with a hundred million or more for that purpose appropriated has been adopted and there is no doubt that the senate will pass the bill as 1t came from the house increasing rather than decreasing the amounts appropriated.
 All Favor a Big Navy.
 Even democrats in the house and sem ate appear to favor navy of sufficient size and strength to rank as world power among nations The navy and army bill out of the way with great appropria- tions only exceeded by the pension ap- propriations leaves to congress nothing to do but pass the other appropriation bills, and indeed the steering committee of the two houses of congress have agreed that this is all the legislation necessary for the welfare of the people.
 They, the republican leaders, say that the Dingley tariff bill is all right and up- on It's schedules they propose to stand pat" that no financial legislation is need ed for the currency, is all right as 1t Is and could not be improved upon; that the government affairs in the Philippines are running along smoothly and no legisla- ton Is needed there and on the whole the old laws and the executive adminis- tration of them is good enough to let alone.
 Deficiency is Imminent.
 As deficiency stares the treasury in the face, it has been decided by the five men who control the house and the three men in control of the senate that no appropriations for anything will be made by congress at this session except those of an absolutely and imperative charac- ter Under this decision everything else is to go over until the last session of congress and then the lid is to be lifted from the strong box and the word given out: Help yourselves, gentlemen"
 Not only is Washington extremely dull and dismal from a legislative standpoint, but likewise from a political view of things. The republicans since the death of Hanna have settled down to the fact that they must take Teddy for veal or woe and do the best they can with him. They have more comfort of late owing to the fresh outbreak in the democratic ranks and seem to think that as usual they will win easily by the inability of the democrats to get together
 Saying Very Little.
 On the other hand the democrats at the capital are saying little ana doing less. Recent happenings in the party have dis couraged them and they have concluded that the best thing to do is to keep silent and let the would-be leaders talk them selves out. They buttonhole newspaper men, lead them off in a quiet corner and whisper:
 Say, old man. you don't want to quote me, but I am not going to say a word now. Just wait until Cleveland and Bry- an get through telling us what we must do and then I may have something for you to print. But to be honest with you I am feeling pretty blue these days, when think of the way things on our side are going, but it may end up all right at St. Louis.'