The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-11-27
EMILE ZOLA
DEFENDS DREYFUS
Scothing Letter Prom Paris on the
Celebrated Case.
HIS VINDICATIoN OF KEsTNER
Truth Is On the Way. and NoM Nothing Can
stop lt"-rress Guilty OF rannias
the Flame Of the folly.
HIS vINDICATIoN OF KEsTNER

New York. Nov. GA World dispa,ch
from Paris gives IN detail the letter writ
ten by Emile zola tho .'rcnch author.
In bsalalf u 81 Drcyfus. me Word says.
All the world Is ringing with the Drey.
rus easel Ia tho onc subject HrcuScd
everywhere. II seems certain that the
whole subject VIII bc reopened and the
ease retired. Zo.a does not champlou
Drvyfur' oIuna directly lie eulogiz.s
". schcurcr-K,stncr. vlcc-president o..
the s~natc. who hns lately asserted that
he In positive fha, Dr.yms n limo ,ert
and that an awful mist AXE has been made
IN branding him as a traitor and sen
fencing him 90 prison for lie on Deyirs
island Hc writes thus;
What thrilling shame, What mag.
nihccnt characters In tht presaicr of
the beauty of these characters furnished
by real life my noveAsrs heart leapoi
In my bosom with passionate admiration'
know Of nothing N the whole rarge
of Psychology SnIch is on a higher level
! havo no intention ~ speaking of the
case. n circumstance hal allowed me
to study and como 10 formal conciu-
sion. do not forget that an investisa-
ton has bc--n opened: that courts have
taken cognizRnrc of the matter ana thar
the honest thing TO DO is 20 wal, With
out adding TO the mnrs Of wretchcd Cos
sip which has ohscursd an aIair Itself
80 simple and 30 clear.
But from now these pcrs5aage-s belonS
to mc-fo me. sImpiy looker-on in nte
who keeps his sges open And II the
CONDEMNED OF years; II the accuses a,
the present time are 60 me- snerei untn
justice has dons ~ work. tho third r,.a,
character In thss drama caaro. snrer
from the efr"ct II one speaks ones mipd
honestly nnd hravely concerning him
This Is what I have seen Of Sch sire-.
keStns-r. what think and whlt I believe
som" day. perhaps circumstances per-
mlttng, may speak Of two others. A
hfc a. clyNr rs crysml. as straight
forward rs loyal can he: no, a stain; not
the slightest moment OF weakness An
unchonging opinion faithfully followed
Without restless ambition: with an ex-
alt"d political position. due alone to the
respected sympathy u his equals With
al not drs1mcr or = ;heorls; \ manu-.
faoturer who has lived in his laboratory
devotirg himself to SPECIAL study without
counting the daily cares OF a great bust
ness house under his care: and let me
hdd. fortune, wealth. honors. happiness.
The crowning ~ noble HE entirely
given up 10 work and faith: nothing 20
deslr" except to make proper endirg.
So much for the man ah,u: 10 take
par In the most tragic and absorbing
N dramas. one day doubt enters his
mind. doubt that WIS In the air and ha,i
already troubled moro than one con-
science; a court-martial for treason OF
captain who. perhaps. Is innocent. The
punishment, has been terrible-decrada-
lion In public. confinement in distant
locality; all tho exerration ~ n nation
wrcallng its rage to destroy wrctcn
u its feet
"I'm q No we've innocent Great God,
What shuddcr Of unboundcd pity; what
cold shiver ~ horror at th.. thought
hat there was no reporaton possible. |
Doubt arose in the mind Of NJ. Schuerer-
Ncstncr at onNe as he himself had told. |
II torment~l ana haunted him as |
lew facts were brought to his notice from /
ime to time. He has solid and logical |
brain which gradually become ovenow-
red by tho insatilhle desire 20 learn |
he truth. Schuerrr Kestner az last held |
certainty, He knew the truth and de-
ermined 10 sc' Justice done. Tha, wits
he critical moment for mind like his.
can imagine what that minute OF an
'ulsh must have beer He well knew the
torn h. would raise. But truth and
usticc are above all; they alone assure
he greatness OF nations. II may he that
'resent interest can ohcsure them for a
ime, but every nation which does not
'aSe It's existence upon :hem Is con-
lemned vt the bar of public opinion. The
lea Of Schuerer- Kestncr while doing
his work kwas to keep out Of sight. He
'ad decided TO say TO the Government.
Here are the facts; sake the matter in
land, 50 that YOU yourself may have the
merit Of belng Just by repairing an error
The outcome OF every act OF justice is
triumph, Circumstances to which do
lot wish to ollude az the present time
prevented the minister's from listening to
him. From that moment he knew no
,eace. II had been sail that he clutched
he ruth and can he who holds it with
nut procIaimiag be other than a public
'nemy9
"Stoically at first, FOR 70 days without
nd, he held to his promise to keep silent.
always IN hope that he would not be
allied to usurp the part OF those whose
luty alone is TO act. I know nothing
more sublime than the silence OF Schue-
during the three weeks when
/ whole people. IN despair, suspected
md abused him. The least violent ex-
PRESSED doubt as 10 his sanity. Was he
IN oil man N his second childhood one