The San Francisco call., 1898-02-27
THE ZOLA AFFAIR.

U the reef of all lovers Of truth and air play ytle | farcical investigation of governmental charges against Emile Zola has come to an end That the novelist should have received an ad- verse decision to have been expected, and those who followed the case closely were therefore not surprised at the action of his judges If the trial has served other purpose 1t has made patent to the world the astonishing state of corruption that exists in the French nation and 1t needed no prophet to foretell that M. Zoa would find 1t possible dur ing the of his trial to substanate the state ments made by him in his letter assaing the Gov ernment.
 The Dreyfus case is not which concerns France alone. It is one which concerns the whole civilized world for it must touch every mans sense of justice when he asks himself, Is possible that at the end of the nineteenth century, in free country man | may be cruelty sentenced upon evidence which would have been considered insufficient for ettre de cachet during the last century, and would not even be thought grave enough in despotic state to send the prisoner to Siberia? Emile Zola has de- monstrated that it is possible. Without any motives ot self-nterest and at personal bodily risk he cham pioned the cause of Alfred Dreyfus. Those who know and admire him are aware that he did this not because he felt that Dreyfus was innocent but because he knew it, and to have remained silent at so important time would have been foreign to his principles.
 The French Government has by its action in M Zolas case exposed itself to suspicion It has pleaded reasons of state' for failing to obtain ma tefia evidence, for closing the doors whenever deli cate and confidential matters were touched, and for stopping investigation at point when it was mani festly incomplete.
 Now France is calling out for the honor of the army. It only be said if this is really affected the blow the republic will be terrible As the Panama canal scandal defed political life in France, so has the trial of Emile Zola dscredited law and justice in the republic. We do not know what remains which Frenchman can respect except his army If that now fails the desire for change of government may become rrepressible. Nor is this all If it is seen coming the temptation to divert the attention of the country by foreign will be we'll nigh irresistible A nice question of ethics has arisen at the City Prison and is to be hoped that it will be settled in accordance with approved principles of diplomacy white man whom circumstances have forced be- hind restraining bars objects to being locked p with some Chinese who pine under similar misfortune It is unfair to punish prisoner in any way not pre- scribed by law, yet the protesting white man should remember that the Chinese are probably experiencing bangs as keen as his own
 There was once man who had the ill-fortune to be kicked down three flights of stairs and into the street When he gathered himself up from the pave ment he remarked as though a great light had dawned upon him, T take hint as we'll as any body; I'm not wanted here" One difference be- tween this individual and Councilman Woodward of Oakland seems to be that the latter fails to grasp situation which readily discernibe to the intel lgence of the former.
 When Uncle Russell Sage openly ndulges in war talk may be concluded that the good man is prepar- ing to cxeffa Inc hear da of