The Washington herald., 1908-05-13
.RAYNER IS BITTER
Scores Presidents Attitude
in Stewart Case.
WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY
Quotes Military and Civil Law 40
Support This ContentiOn-Execu-
tive In Letter Denies Right OF Con-
gress TO Interfere, and Declares
He VIII Act Same in Similar Cases.

] AAE AAf AT Es&Aa@ AA O@-0~e'
In language that teemed with irony
in the use Of which he is past master,
Senator Isidor Rayner. Of Maryland. ar
raigned the President of the United sta es
eeterday for the treatment he had given
Col William F. Stewart a veteran officer
OF the army.
Floor and galleries of the Senate cham
Der were crowded for the period of the
Senator's speech and close attention was
given throughout the development of his
argument that President Roosevelt had
violated the Constitution and the laws In
exiling this old soldier to an ungarrisoned
post in an Arizona desert without a tria
or even hearing,
Mr.. Rayners address was in support
Of his resolution for a court Of inquiry
TO investigate the charges against Col
Stewart He showed that the resolution
was exactly similar with the exception OF
one word TO a resolution enacted in thC
Forty-third Congress concerning Gen. o
Q, Howard. That resolution had beer
obeyed by the Executive. Other prece.
dents were cited In support Of Mr. Ray
ner's contention that the legislative
branch OF the government had the right
to insist that an officer Of the army bC
granted justice
In the course OF his remarks. Mr.. Ray.
ner had the clerk read the letter which
he had received from President Roose.
welt detailing the reasons why Col Stew
art had been exiled to Arizona. 1t was a
remarkable letter, in which Mr.. Roosevelt
in reference to Col Stewart used suct
terms as grossly unfit" "a nuisance Il
the service" "temperamentaIly undt e
exercise command"
Foraker Not Dissuaded.
At one period ia the speech there wa.
reference TO the Brownsville effair. anC
Senator Foraker served notice that TO
day he would call up his bill to enabl,
the discharged negro soldiers TO re-ente
the army. This shows that the eTort,
to sidetrack Mr.. Foraker have beer
unsccessful. and that the Brownsville
issue must be fought before adjournment
N. Rayper was emphatic Throughout
his speech. He was particularly effectiv,
| when. after likening the treatment o
Stewart 20 that # Dreyfus, he said;
What does the President mean? VIII,
are bis advisers? Is a man entitled Il
a trial? The President says. 1 am salts
fed he is guilty, and / do not want 4
hear the defense What would you thinl
of a judge upon the bench who promul
gated such a brutal decree as that? /
makes the blood boil 10 fever heat TO Sc,
the President announce such a doetFinl
as that 10 the Senate Of the Unite,
States. If the man is guilty. convict him
If he is innocent, acquit him. But IN,
greatest felon in the land is entitled 10
trial. and certainly this man ought 20 bD
entitled 10 one, after forty years of dis
tinguished service to his country. He go
into quarrel with a plumber. How
many Quarrels has the President get int,
with plumbers and everybody else? Sun
pose the President was sent 10 a pIac,
like this for every quarrel he got int,
and for every emphatic expression h
made use OF? This man was convicted
because he VAS initiating the exampi,
OF the Chief"
Unfit for Present Rank"
President Roosevelrs letter is so Ions
that its text cannot be given in full. bu
the following excerpts from It are sum
cient to show its trend and the Presi
dents attitude
He (Col. Stewart refuses TO retir
unless he is made a brigadier general.
says Mr.. Roosevelt; 7 shall certalnl,
not make him a brigadier general. be
/ cause he is grossly unfit not merely [,
be brigadler general, but TO hold hi
present rank in the army His caree
has not been distinguished for a number
/ of years; MS usefulness has been dimin
ishing-indeed, it has not only irrevoc
ably passed, but he is nuisance in tht
service. being both incompetent and TEN
peramentally unit TO exercise comman,
/ over enlisted men. or to control othei
/ officers, or 10 behave with propriety whel
| brought in contact with civilians
AS Gen. Duval reports. IL is vel
known throughout the artillery servic,
that Col. Stewart is an impossible com
manding officer, and he is a man VIII,
in civil life could under no circumstance
have risen 20 any position OF inauene9
or authority over his fellows"
The President then narrates stories o
quarreis between Col. Stewart and civil
ians, and adds:
These are only some among the In
stances of incompetency and tempera
mental shortcomings which were brough
TO the attention OF the department Ye
Gen. Frederick d, Grant is quoted al
saying that Col. Stewards Temperament
tai shortcomings caused him TO irritat'
those around him, and the only way L
limit the defect was to get rid Of tht
| irritant" Then general officers of th'
army are quoted as saying that Col
Stewart should be offered the alternative
of relief from command or retirement.
The President says that it was on thu
advice of Gems Grant, Duvall Davis. anJ
/ Murray that Col Stewart was sent e
Fort Grant where, Mr.. Roosevelt adds
there are no enlisted men or Junior on
GERS over whom Col. Stewart can tyran
nize, but few civilians with whom III
can quarrel, and no officer of superio
rank to which command he might, TO thl
great detrlment of the army, some da.
succeed
There was more of this. and in conciu
sion the President said:
Now, as to your suggestions 10 a trial
For the reasons given above. and also Il
s------------------
EE-------'---.