The age-herald., 1898-02-03
TECHNICS FROM
 CURRENT TOPICS.

The recent fearless stand of Emile Zola l in the Dreyfus- -Esterhazy case gives one a better opinion of humanity in general, and an enthusiastic admiration for the French author in particular. Public opinion has always been divided upon the moral effect produced by his remarkable novels. but there can be no division of sentiment as to his honesty of purpose and the match- less courage he has evinced in expressing his convictions.
 Zola stands upon this question with thou sands of others who carefully read the tes- timony in the famous Dreyfus trial; his position is no doubt absolutely just and right.
 Zola is not Jew, and yet he has borne the brunt of the attack lately made against Hebrews by large part of Europes pop ulation. The intense feeling which now prevails in France and other portions of Europe. and is termed anti-semetic, has all been directed against the courageous French author, who has dared to tell the truth, and to proclaim the innocence of a helpless prisoner, whose chief offending
  ish officer in the French army
 Esterhazy who by many competent judges is considered the really guilty man, has been acquitted. Dreyfus remains in prison. hopeless of relief, and Emile Zola will be tried during the present month by French court because he was brave enough to speak the truth, and take a firm position in behalf of an innocent, per- secuted fellow creature
 Zola's act was one of great heroism, and it placed him at once before the eyes of the civilized world with white light beating upon him and his record.
 Nordeau and Lombroso have called Zola a degenerate, yet he has defed the anti Semetic sentiment of Europe in daring to proclaim his faith in the loyalty of Drey- fus. while Nordeau, himself Jew, has meekly held his peace on the subject, and has discreetly turned his attention to Zolas peculiarities Zoa is a humanitarian in it's best and broadest sense, and his magnificent moral courage has challenged the admiration of every honest man and woman who loves the truth and admires the truth-teler.
 Bjornsen, the Norwegian poet, lately wrote Emile Zola letter filled with no- ble, comforting words, and among other things he utters this uncontrovertible statement:
 "I have always held the opinion that the work of a romance writer or a poet bears the same relation to himself person. ally as notes do to the bank which issues them, and which should have on hand se- curities corresponding to the issue. "We now that if your works have circulated throughout the world to in- crease the courage and enrich the heart of humanity, it is because you yourself are a man of courage and heart"
 This theory of Bjornsen explains the ef- feet of different individuals upon humani- ty at large; why the world calls one man or woman fraud. another honest; why one hypocrite, although wearing all the necessary churchly livery, and another a Christian who makes no pretense to bowed heads and long prayers. Each personah- ty represents, unconsciously, the deposit in his or her own soul, and it is useless to attempt to defrand the public with a spurious currency. The world at large soon discovers the hypocrite to be coun- terfeiter, and as such he or she stands convicted before humanity no matter how oyiies6Oo1eo how saintly @ halo may be worn around their serene brows
 Fortunately there are very few hypocriteS and religious frauds. The better class of Christians are beginning to repudiate these contemptible specimens of tine human race. But so long as the sun shines there will be few who will pose as Christians. yeb who are miserable whited sepulchres, filled with dead mems bones. who look chidingly when an honest fellow creature makes harmless remark, yet will go from house to house stirring up strife and ran- GOT with his irer vile tattle. As long as day follows night there will be ths churchly fraud who will devoutly worship In Gods temples and then stab an inno- cent fellow creature in the back w1th a venom and treachery worthy of the most treacherous Spaniaud or Corsican As long as the seasons come and go there will bo the circumspect hypocrite who plot5 and lays schemes until his or her little brain is throbbing with the pain of the unrfghs- eous work.
 The human commercials are generally oe small mental development, but with am bitions commensurate with that of ths geuiuses of the world Fate has been u, kind to them; they have aspirations ia" beyond their capacities. and their lives ars spent in one eternal effort to keep up wls the procession But they deceive no o.o very long. Their schemes become aprar- ent; their treachery and duplicity cannot be hidden, and, before they are aware C.. it the world discovers that they have ntt 2 or nothing on deposit dn the great bank of character. And there always comes < day of settlement with all kinds of banks. a day whenit shall be known whether t. ! vaults are empty or filled with coin tf.2. will pass current in this world and the next. BALL
 PERSONALITIES.
 A sarcastic French journalist is accus.