The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-05-09
ROOSEVELT THE
WHOLE CHEESE
President Goes Far in Assert
ing His Rights as Com
mander- in-Chief.
WRITES THREE LETTERS
INTENSE FEELING CREATED IN
THE SENATE.

Washington. May S.-Three members
of the United States senate have re-
ceived letters from President Roosevelt
within the last few days declaring his
supremacy, asa commander-in-ch in
all matters referring 10 the control Of
the army and navy. The letters have
created intense feeling in the senate,
and 1t is not unlikely that they will
precipitate a conference of Republican
members. The letters in every case
are in defense of his course i'm dis
charging without honor the negroes he
believed to be guilty of shooting up the
town of Brownsville. Tex, and his ac-
ton in banishing Colonel William F.
Stewart to an abandoned military post
in desert section of Arizona.
The third letter came today to Sem
atOr Stewart of Vermont.
Question Answered by Letter.
A few days ago, during the debate on
the Brownsville case, Senator Stewart
asked a question indicating that he had
doubt as TO the wisdom of extending TO
the president the power of passing on
the innocence or guilt of ex-soldiers
applying for reinstatement, in view of
the fact that ii appeared the president
sum DClitNto al III TIE ltSIOSS W ndNc
been guilty of completely in the ARRAY.
The senator was surprised to receive
from the president today a letter bear
ing on both the Colonel Stewart and the
Brownsville cases. Attached to the
communication were letters TO Senators
Rayner and William Alden Smith. the
one To Mr.. Rayner asserting chiefly the
presidents right as -chief
TO deal with on officer in such manner
hl fa1- cod n 10 NJ
Smith was confined to the Brownsville
affair and reiterated the presidents be-
lief that he had dealt with the case as
conditions demanded.
AS Roosevelt Sees 1t.
The president went further still in his
letter TO Senator Stewart in addition
To repeating much that he said to the
other senators. He declared that Sen
atOr Stewart. from the questions he
asked in the debate, appeared TO be
proceeding under a misappTehensiOn of
the duties OF the president of the
United States in connection with the
army and navy He quoted the law
as he understood it. and denied that he
was under any obligation TO give to
the discharged negro soldiers or to Col
onel Stewart any court of inquiry. Sew
eral para era phs were devoted 10 a dis
cussion of Colonel Stewards case and
the faults of his which have him in dis
repute in army circles After this dis
cussiOn the president wrote that in
every community there is found maud
lin sympathy with murderers, and the
Thaw case in New York is cited by him
as an example.
Rayner to Make a Speech.
None Of the senators who have re-
ceived letters from the White House
have decided whether they will make
them public. An have been asked to do
So Senator Smith of Michigan de-
clined on the ground that il would be
improper. and Senator Rayner is pre-
pairing to use the letter to him in a
speech which he will make to the SEN
ate denouncing the action of the presi-
dent in banishing Colonel Stewart tO
Fort Grant, Arizona Senator Stewart
showed to several of his colleagues the
letter ne received, but thus far has
made no disposition of il.
Several senators said today that the
letters would have the effect OF com
plicating the situation in regard to leg
islation in the interest of the innocent
members Of the battalion of negroes
discharged on account of the Browns
vile affair There are two bills before
the senate looking to that end II IS
generally believed that the Republican
senators will hold caucus for the dis
cussion OF the entire question. includ
ing the presidents letters, next week