The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-09
BANKHEAD REPLIES
 TOCAPTA|N ROBSON
Writes Card to The Age-Herald
 Showing His Record
PRESENTS MANY LETTERS
congressmen Say Hobson Was Not Retired Because His Eye Disease Was Not Permanent and He
 Wanted to Enter Politics.

John H. Bankhead, congressman from the Sixth Alabama district. has written the following letter to the Age-Herald in reply to the recent campaign speech made by Capt Richmond P. Hobson, his opponent:
 q have received copy of the Greens boro Beacon, which contains synopsis oi Captain Hobsons opening speech in the canvass which he is now making in the Sixth congressional district Captain Hobson Is reported to have said that 1 personally defeated the act retiring him from the navy because l was afraid 1t would enable him to enter the race for congress- On more than one occasion have stated over my own signature that l did not in any way attempt to in fiuence the action of the naval committee to which the bill was referred. Captain Hobson did not request me to introduce the bill and 1 refused to believe that he has so stated, because it is not true. Long after the bill had been introduced, when the committee was about to pass upon it Captain Hobson asked me if 1 would not help him get the bill reported from the committee. 1 frankly told him that l would not, and gave him at the time niy reasons. The law now on the StdtulC DOOhS AS ditlplSi anu even HUH in its provisions for the retirement of army and naval officers. Under this law two different expert medical boards had examined Captain Hobson and both re- ported against his retirement, both say ing that he was fit for duty. After these reports were made the bill was intro dueed in order to overcome these medical reports.
 No Precedent.
 "The records of congress from the be- ginning of the government do not fur nish precedent for such legislation be- cause it. would be utterly destructive of all discipline. The next officer who de- sired, for any reason, to quit the army or the navy would simply come to con gress have his bill introduced and plead this precedent. am informed that Cap tain Hobson, before having the bill ntro- duced. advised with Hon. c. w. Thomp- son as to the expediency of having the bill introduced by a republican, inasmuch as it was approved by republican Pres. ident, and the majority of congress was republican and that the bill was prompt ly introduced by MT. Moody a. republi- can from Oregon. This was all done months before Captain Hobson approach ed me on the subject of aiding him in having report made from the com mittee.
 
 closed incident, but since it has been reopened l shall taKe the liberty to pub fish letters from several members of the committee on naval affairs on this sub ject. The first three in the order printed are from the chairman of the committed the chairman of the subcommittee, to which the bill was referred and the member who wrote the report and let ter from three other members of the | each except one who is dead, of the re- mafning members of the committee which will publish if called for These are the facts which ought to settle this whole question.
 Some Letters.
 Committee on Naval Affairs
 !" House of Representatives
 Washington, D. C., Jan. 10, 104 Hon. J. H. Bankhead, House of Repre- sentatives, Washington. D. c.
 Dear Sir: In reply to your letter of recent date I beg to state that the bill for the relief of Captain Richmond P Hobson was referred to the committee by the speaker of the house and by me re- ferred to a subcommittee which has juris- diction of all private bills. That sub committee made a careful investigation of the case and recommended on June 30, 1902 as the record shows, that further consideration of this bill be postponed until the next session of this congress
 The record shows that on January 9, 1903, at the following session of congress the bill came up again before the full comnbstee and a motion was made to report 1t favorably but such motion was lost.
 "'The reasons for such action as given by the Hon. Robert w. Taylor of Ohio, then a member of the subcommittee, who had made a careful and thorough in- vestigation of the case, were substantially two:
 First, that one board and I think two boards of naval officers, had passed upon his physical condition and recom- mended that he not be retired; that they regarded the physical condition of his eyes as such that with rest and freedom from employment they would improve.
 "'T The second reason of the commits ee was that he was regarded by the com mttee as too valuable naval officer to loose,
 " F1rthermore, desire to state to you, and think it is no more than justice to you that I would say it, that you never spoke or wrote to me in relation to this matter. Very respectfully yours.
 GEORGE EDMUND FOSS.' !"