The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-26
WILL RIGHT WRONG
TO COL. STEWART



carefully refrsiRed from all activities
which would tend TO keep up inter
est in his case. RE has kept away
from officers or the war department
and from members OF congress who
might favor legislation in his interest.
He Is himself believer in the school
OF strict military discipline and ne has
obeyed In spirit OF the law which for
bids officers, even oil the retired list
lndulging in any criticism or reflec-
tons on superiors III command. The
movement which has started IL, q pure
~ spontaneous one inaugurated by his
friends and those who have taken u
general interest I'm his case, moved
by their belief that he was greatly
wronged.
Senators and congressman from the
Pacific coast have been most active IN
the present steps and II is anticipated
that Senators Perkins and Flint Will
do what they can TO push the bill OF
the senate side. Reps. Mckinley and
Kahn, OF the same state. are also in
terested and one or the other OF them
will probably father Col. Stewards
bill In the house. The great weight
OF influence, however, which bears
promise OF vindication for the col
onel. lies In the fact that the real
leaders OF the senate are IN favor OF
some action OF this sort. Men like
Senators Hale and A!drich. Gallinger
Cullom and Warren have become con-
WINGED that the Stewart case vas
notable example of injustice and
should be undone. In these opinions
they are understood To be In harmony
with the views OF President Taft.
The orders sending Col. Stewart
into exile, II Is now claimed. never
we're approved by Mr.. Taft. The in
luence which sent the colonel into
exile emanated from Maj .-Gen. w. p.
Duvall, now in the Philippines. This
influence acted at the time directly
on the White House. The advice or
the then secretary Of war YVES not
sought.
Mrs. Tsft's Influence.
An unusual factor In the case OF
Col Stewart at the present time Is
said to be the active favor OF Mrs.
William Howard Taft. While the pres
ident's wife does not believe In med
ding with affairs outside her proper
sphere, she does believe that WON
ans influence may be exercised at
times in political. as in other fields.
with results which Justify such inter
ference. Friends OF Mrs. Taft say she
did not approve Of the action taken by
President Roosevelt In the Stewart
case. She feels that every EFFORT should
he made at the present time to secure
a vindication and to undo the wrong.
so far as II may be undone. suffered
by a deserving veteran In the military
service.
Col. Stewart would like to ne re-
stored to the active list He 10 not
worried by the verdict OF the doctors
retiring him for disability. Thirty
years ago Col. Stewart was examined
ny doctor who told him there was
trouble with his heart. For several
years he worried Then, finding that
there seemed to be nothing to worry
about, and that the supposed irregu-
larity IN the valvular action II bis
heart did not interfere with his mill
lary duties, he went on eating. sleep
x
CARELESS OF the doctors. Up - the
day he was retired he walked and
rode and took all the forms Of exer-
else INDUCED in by the youngest or
the hardest members OF the army.
The time has come to do justice
to man who has been grievously
aud outrageously wronged,' said 4
member of the senate to your CORE
spondent. Nothing that has ever
come to light has justified the action
taken In the Stewart case. III all
the charges made against the colonel
were true. and more added To them,
still they would not warrant the &C.
zion taken, because the colonel was
entitled to have those charges tried
4 he had committed any breach OF
discipline he should have been given
court-martial This is all he ever
asked for. IL he was, as Gen. Duvall
and the war department clique said
he was, an impossible person. that
should have been put in the form OF
charge and he should have been
tried for the crime OF being al i'm
possible person. He should be restor
ed to his proper rank of brigadler-gen'