New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-25


If it were possible for anything TO be worse
than the Dreyfus case we should award that
dishonorabe distinction to the Picquart case
Between the two are several points OF resem-
blance In each case gallant army officer is
arrested. locked up. denied the privilege of see
ing friends or counsel, accused Of an Infamous
crime, tried in secret and condemned on the
strength Of evidence not revealed 10 him or TO
any one but his accusers and judges That was
the process in the Dreyfus case. That has been
the process in the PicQuart case down 10 the
last two items. and there Ia every prospect Of
their being speedily fulfilled. What makes the
latter case actually worse than the former Is the
fact that II il the latter, that its iniQuties are
repetition of those Of the former perpetrated de-
iberately and defantly. as II TO say that is the
course In which the military masters OF France
mean TO persist, first offence is bad. acc
Ond is worse in that it shows the spirit of n
wanton and habiual offender.
We have hitherto spoken OF the military reign
Of terror which IL being imposed upon France.
With all the respect which the whole civilized
world should feel for that land of light and lead
ing. and with the peculiar affection which Is due
from Americans 10 our ancient friend and ally
and TO the great sister republic, II must be
frankly said that such imposition seems 10 be
proceeding at a dangerous rate. We must rec
ogniZe the necessity Of military trials for milf
tary offences. and In some cases the need Of
keeping the testimony in such cases secret from
the general public. But In a time of profound
peace there can be no excuse for arbitrarily try
ing civil cases by secret court-martlal. and none
for dominating the civil courts with military In
huences. And at no time does II conpOrt with
justice and honor TO try man Oh charges and
convict him on testimony which are withheld
from his knowledge. The basest wretch that
ever defiled glbbet had natural right 10 be
confronted by his accusers. to hear every word
of the Indictment against him and to hear or
see every word Of oral or written evidence
against him. Let that right be alienated in a
single particular and Justice is undone
Now that Is the menace 10 France today,
that that right has been and Is being alienated.
We do not say Dreyfus was innocent. but that
on the tacit admission Of his accusers and
judges-he was convicted ON the strength of Sc
cret testimony which was withheld from his
knowledge and from the knowledge of his coun-
sci. We do not say that PicQuart is blameless.
but that In denying him the privilege Of com
municatiOn with friends and counsel the funda
mental principles of justice and of freedom are
being violated. 1t has been the rule In France,
contrary TO that In English-speaking countries,
to consider man guilty until he proves his in
nocence In these two cases not only Is that
rule applied but the accused are denied oppor-
tunity Of proving their innocence. No Westpha-
liam Vehmgcrichtc was ever more arbitrary no
Toledo InQuislton ever less just than the trl-
bunals before which every French soldier and
every French citizen Of arms bearing rank Is
liable TO be hailed.
We repeat in all kindness and with all sym
patty with France. that this constitutes a ter
ror and menace to the very existence Of the
republic Once let the military power super
sede the civil. In civil affairs and In times of
peace, and you have a military despotism. IL
does not matter whether the despotism be exer-
cised by single dictator or by whole organ
tied army. the end is the same in the dcstruc-
ton OF the liberty. equality. fraternity which
are the principles and the watchwords Of the
republic. No Bourbon nor Bonapartist Pre-
tender has ever placed the republic In 20 great