The evening times., 1898-10-26
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1898.
A Crazy Day in Paris.

The French populace reveled in the
blindest folly and the most insane fury
yesterday in the streets and in the
Chamber of Deputies. Nobody knows
just why. The strong feeling excited
by the long and devious course Of the
Dreyfus matter had to find a more
complete outlet than the small attacks
on isolated Jews. Without any definite
cause of eruption. there was sponta-
neous riot, aimed chiefly at the govern
ment, which has the confidence Of no
body The near approach of a crisis
in the Fashoda dispute with England
was forgotten and the irresponsible
mob started out to overthrow the min
istry, and incidentally kill any Jews
who might happen TO get in its way.
Not any more rational was the conduct
of the deputies and some Of the bewil
dered ministers. On the whole, the
movement had about as much purpose
as the Hopping of hen with her head
cut off. The demagogue was on top.
and pretty nearly every man Of ambi-
tion readily assumed a demagogic role.
France seems to have no safe and de-
voted friend who has the confidence Of
the mob, and it is no wild prediction
that the third republic is near a violent
end.
Perhaps the diplomatists are partly
responsible for the humiliating and dis
graceful spectacle Of yesterday, which
may be repeated today, and which
would have led TO a repetition of the
horrors Of the Revolution but for the
amazing endurance of the police and
the presence of a large military force
The repeated assertions that England
would be defied and Marchand upheld
were intended for effect across the
channel but they also aroused the pas
sions of the populace. When il became
apparent that France had no intention
OF carrying her Nile claims to the point
of war, the increasing unpopularity of
the ministry reached the point OF a vote
of mo confidence" by the deputies and
howls Of derision and assaults on the
police by the equally crazed populace.
The insane war minister, to the amaze
ment Of his associates, made a dra-
matte resignation that was the extreme
of perfdy and folly. The hidden incen-
tive of the men who directed the out
break. as far as it had any direction,
was disclosed when a majority of only
thirteen was recorded in favor of the
supremacy of the civil power and when
the second disturbance began with a
cry that ''the campaign against the
army must cease" Dreyfus again.
to prevent anything like a retrial of
the condemned Jew, or else there was
no distinct cause. and the minds of the
disturbers turned to the only obvious
ground Of dissatisfaction.
There are fears that some superlative
scoundrel may be able to foment fur
ther violence, overthrow the republic
and assume the role Of dictator. How
utterly crazy and unfit for self-govern-
ment the Paris populace is, we may fan
cy from the deliberate statement that il
is within the range of the possible for
such an unscrupulous traitor, liar and
all-around criminal lunatic as Ester
hazy to gain the leadership of the great
majority. Ii is only fair to say that
his sole claim is his real or pretended
hatred Of the Jews. AT a time when
Rochefort is regarded as conservative
only an Esterhazy can meet the re
quirements of the uncaged Bedlamites
Order may be restored by the energetic
police, who have covered themselves
with glory, but a new outbreak is al
most inevitable unless martial law is
declared in the capital and the many
revolutionary societies vigorously sup
pressed.