He helped found the Ballarat branch of the Labor Party in 1902 and was its secretary from 1905 to 1906; he was involved in James Scullin's ultimately unsuccessful attempt to unseat Alfred Deakin at the 1906 federal election.
[1] In 1908 Stewart ran for the Victorian Legislative Assembly, standing unsuccessfully as the Labor candidate for Ballarat East.
A staunch anti-conscriptionist, he organised opposition to Billy Hughes' conscription referendums in 1916–17 and avoided a second split over the socialist objective in 1919–21.
[1] A memorial tablet was unveiled at Stewart's grave in December 1926 by the then president of the Victorian branch of the ALP.
His grave is included in a self-guided heritage walk at the cemetery and information about his life is available on a sign posted at his graveside.