Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-03-04
Poor France.

form of government Is shown 10y the
treatment Of DreyfuS, and the spirit
in which the efforts of 50 eminent n
man ~ Emile /"la. the author, for his
release from what i believed t" lie
an unjust Imprisonment, have been
received.
1t was in lS9J that a French cap
tain Of engineers, named \. Drcyfu>,
wa> convicted Of high treason and sent
for life L. the Isle du Diahlr, on the
coast OF French Guinea, where he was
impii>uncd in steel cell, far from hrl-
man hahitation, with guard con-
>tantly on duty 10 prevent his re-
lease 10y >ympathizing friends, led by
the Jews. Of which faith he WAS Il
prominent adhcrcnt. The specific
charge made against him was that Ii,
had disclosed military secrets to for
cign power, the German Emperor, ior
which service he was to receive COM
mission in the German army. Ii
seemed improbable, and hardly needed
the denial of that high potentate to
brand it as a falschood, and the word
Of an Emperor should surely have
some weight. Drcyfus' defense was
absolute denial of the truth OF the
charge. His criminality, it is affirmed,
was by no means proven at the court
martial examination held under the
direction of Major Esterhazy. After
he had begun his term of imprlson.
ment, under the rigid discipline noted,
it was by no means surprising that his
co-religionists should feel much SYM
pathy for one they believed to be in
nocent of crime charged, and the in
terest aroused in his behalf culminat-
cd in his brother Matthew making
charges against Major Estcrhazy as
the true culprit and the writer of the
borderedu upon which Dreyfus was
convicted. This trial was, likewise,
iarcical in its nature and n travcsty
on justice.
Then it was that lola published an
open-letter in LAurOre attacking this
trial, and charging that Minister OF
War Billot, and other high officers OF
the French army, had possession of
proofs of Dreyfus' innocence. lola,
and the manager of the journal, were
charged with libel in slandering the
court-lnartial OF the French army"
and accorded similar trial, in which
witnesses were Intercepted and brow.
beaten by the court and by by-stand-
ers, as we'll as the attorneys, while
the military was present in force and
took part in the mobilize proceedings.
The judges refused to summon wit
nesses for the defense or to compel
witnesses to testify when they had ap.
peared. The French barristers, in
their robes and gowns, INDUCED in
acts of violence, without reproof from
the court. The result was that lola
was found guilty and was sentenced
to one years imprisonment and to pay
fine of $1,000 francs. Perrieux, the
editor of EAurore, was sentenced to
four months imprisonment and to
pay q fine of 800 francs. The SEN
fences were applauded and cries of
d" Long live Francew and "Down
with the Jews" fairly raised the dome
of the so-called Temple of Justice.
The fear is expressed that the result
of this trial will lead to outbreaks
against the Jews. The language at
tributed to Esterhazy, during the trial,
that eff Dreyfus ever set foot in
France again there would be 100000
corpses of Jews on the soil"; and that
"if lola is acquitted there will be a
revolution in Paris, and the people
will put me at their head to massacre
the Jews" indicates the malign feel
ing and intense passion that is rife,
and must eventually be met by SINH
lar spirit of obduracy. Events seem
to presage the fall OF the present gov
eminent and probably revolution
whereby a form will be adopted that
is more in accord with the despotic
furore which seems to animate the
controlling forces.
The Puyallup Evaporating Co. late
ly received an order for 3d. 800 worth
of granulated potatoes and cured
onions. Still there are people who