Evening star., 1898-11-05

the DrcytuS agitation into a full revolu-
ton adds immensely to the spicy element
Of danger Already at the tables d'hote
they are discussing with delightful shivers
what to do in case of trouble. "Will the
banks be ciosed?'' Today you may see
h"1 soldiers picketed all over Paris. of
course. they may abort this strike. Then
there will be more STRIKES for it is in the
secret counsels of the leaders to keep up
the fires of iusurrection and disorder pend
ing the delay of the revision.
There is really grave disorder in Paris.
No one could have seen the affair of the
Avenue Wagram without apprehension
Three blocks distant fron the avenue a
crowd Of 2U0 people half of them well
dressed, pursued three middle-aged men of
respectable appearance. They chased them
at a fun run. crying, Death to the Drey-
fusardsr' Taking refuge in a large apart
ment house in which one Of the three ap-
peared TO live they slammed and locked
the heavy porte-cOchere doors against
which the crowd pressed. hammering with
CIubs and canes, and yelling, Break in the
door, Break in the door, Soon there was
the pourdiug of piece of timber. a dense
crowd gathered round. exchanging Jokes
and asking, Where are the police?' There
were ~ police in sight. Bang! Bang, The
doors gave way. The mob rushed bowling
leader 70 take them upstairs
Until the Police Arrived.
On the Avenue Hoche an ola gentleman
Of sixty years of age was asked to hur-
rah, ''Vive Iarmee,' He exclaimed. i'm
patiently, "Eiye tout lie monde" Hurrah
for everybody
''ExceIte Picquartr' came the shriu voice
of a srran boy in the crowd.
II was enough to start them off. Except
Picquart! Except PiCquartr' They hemrled
him in and threatened him with canes and
fists; they yelled at him until their faces
glowed purple red; they clutchcd at him
and pulled and pushed him. always bowling
that he must except Picquart, But the
aged gentleman had sporting blood He
would not except. So much the worse for
him. They tore his coat off made his nose
bleed burnt his silk hat. sDat on him and
so continued until the police arrived.
Up a side street. toward the Sale Wag-
ram. where the Dreyfus meeting was to
have ben held there marched a delegation
OF $40 Dreyfus syTnQathiZers. 1t is true
there were many young men among them,
many loug-haired ''intellectuaT' looking
fellows; hut the mass was id-lOoking and
respectable. Before they got within block
Of the avenue they were stopped. This was
Cne Of the real fights. Men were knocked
down. Men We're beaten in the head with
canes. Coats were torn off. Hats were
smashed. A few from each side were
trampled upon There was much splitting.
But. above all. there was yelling There
was cursing-"Reptile!' "Assassin,' Your
dirty throat,
Surface Trouble SO Far.
To me this seemed real enough for a be-
ginning. but the Americans and English
men with whom l stood asserted that the
fighting lacked sincerity. 1T is all on the
surface they repeated. Both sides are
afraid" Undoubtedly had things gone this
4
have been greater violence more sustained
and more effective. But in these Latin
countries. it must never be forgotten, the
ingrained fear of striking the first blow ex-
plains these wordy parleys. Let one side
have the excuse of a man killed. | an
swered them. and you will see" We did
not see. for happily in every case the cav
airy and the police broke up the mobbing
almost promptly. Then to see them scat
ter, as the cavalry came at them Some
times they resisted the policemen; but the
soldiers, never.
Later We began to understand. These
ruffians We're not anarchists or socialists
accused OF wishing to set up a revolution.
They were true Frenchmen," on the side
Of the police and military. In our eager
ness TO see il all We had penetrated to tho
thick of it. close to the Sale Wagram. The
Dreyfus side had hired this hall in which
10 hold meeting. There we said would
be the trouble. Profound error, Apart
from the chiefs. who sat in a cafe beside
IL, EudTueU Dy d uOuDie line OF cavalry,
no Dreyfus man dared venture near. The
side streets were packed with them, but
as a mass they were kept well divided
Wherever the two parties met there were
incipient fights, but it always a one
sided thing. Nor could the Dreyfus men
consistently resist authority. Were not the
police there to protect them2 True. they
protected them by always hustliug them
away. The cavalry charged on them The
police. with drawn cutlasses. rushed them:
but they charged and rushed the others
also. II was fair-excepting that the Drey-
fus sympathizers always got the worst of
IT.
UnveIcOme Adherents.
Now. It ought to be well understood BY
this time that IL IS the Dreyfus synpa-
thizers who are accused OF wishing tc
bring on revolution. To the courageous
and high-minded minority this reflection Is
all the more bitter because of its partial
truth The socialists and anarchists. with
out being asked. without being wanted, be-
Ing dreaded like the plague. have taker
their side. They are against the army