The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-18
THE UNSTABLE FRENCH
THE REPUBLIC IN DANGER FROM
PUBLIC EXCITEMENT

The People Greatly Wrought up Over the
Dreyfus and Esterhazey Cases-Increased
Danger &C Hostilities Between England
and France Over tho Soudan Question
Scandalous ImmoraH. y In West End Of
LoDdOn-1he Persian Shah's Throne
Tottering.
copyrighted by he Associated Press.)
London, January 15.-The new
phase into which the Dreyfus case has
entered, is a distinct advance. The
era Of secret courts-martial is over
and civil and public court will have
to investigate Emile Zola's charges of
persistent distortion of justice. The
behavior of military authorities in
"burking" the inquiry cast the gravest
reflects upon the oft-asserted honor of
the French army, which has shown an
obstinate determination to stick to-
gether, right or wrong. Outside of
France, all Europe believes Dreyfus is
the victim of a villainous conspiracy
and the prosecution of Zola has broad
ened the question; for the whole
French army is now virtually placed
on trial. The gravity Of the situa-
tion is enhanced because the whole of
France is in state of growing hys-
terical excitement. Temporarily, the
republic is generally supported
throughout the country, but history
shows that similar hysteria has fire.
quently led to violent chances. When
France is able to analyze the situa-
tion and should the suspicion spread
that the honor Of the army is really
affected, the consequences to the re-
public might be of the most serious
description. The Panama scandals
have defiled political life and the law
courts have been discredited; there
fore if respect for the army must also
be surrendered the desire to change
the government may be irrepressible,
in which case the temptation for the
leaders to divert the attention of the
country to a foreign war will be we'll
nigh irresistible. Hence the deep in
terest of Frances neighbors.
For the moment, the intense excite
ment will probably find an outlet in
the renewal of the spectacle presented
during the liveliest days of Boulangism
Hot alterations in the streets leading
to assaults are frequent, the police are
guarding houses of prominent Drey-
fusians, and it is impossible to fore
see where the arrests will end SLAM
der and denunciation are so rampant
that the authorities are taking special
precautions to prevent the calumniated
taking the law into their own
hands. Duels have already resulted.
A monster manifestation is preparing
in Paris for Sunday.
Temporarily overshadowed, the
movements of the French on the up
per Nile are again becoming unpleas-
antly prominent to those who imagin-
ed that Great Britain had undisputed
claims upon those regions. It is i'm
material to discuss the exact where
abOuts of the French expeditions. 1t
suffices that, according to the bulk of
evidence, they have penetrated to
Bahrh- El-Ghazal, the most fertile pro-
vince of the Egyptian Soudan, with
the distinct mandate of their govern
ment. If this is true, and the declara-
tions of successive British cabinets
mean anything, M. Hanotaux, the
French minister for foreign affairs,
far, M. Hanotaux seems to have the
advantage, but the game is dangerous.
Fear of war with France will not stop
Great Britain from recovering the
whole of the Egyptian Soudan and
driving out any French expeditions
which may be found there when, in the
opinion of the Marquis of Salisbury
the proper time has arrived.
In the meantime Prince Henry of
Orleans is fitting out at Marseilles and
evidently with the approval of the
government, an armed expedition to
subdue equatorial provinces, claiming
they had belonged to Abyssinia in
prehistoric times; but in reality,
these provinces are identical with
those Great Britain is seeking to re-
store to Egypt. So, perhaps, there is
some truth in the story that the ac-
tivity of the British is due to the
Egyptian intelligence department
learning that the French Abyssinian
troops have reached Fashoda; that
King Menelik is preparing reinforce
ments with the intention of following
up this success and that common
policy, which is morally supported by
Russia, unites France and Abyssinia.
There are persistent reports Of grave
troubles threatening Persia. The
Shah's sovereignty has always been
shaky, and it is now affirmed to be
rapidly slipping from his grasp. In
deed the situation at Teheran is de-
scribed as being so precarious that a
coup d'etat may be precipitated at any
moment.
The scandalous debauchery in Re-
gent street and Piccadilly, this city,
| has led to the preparation of two bills
for presentment to parliament.
One of them makes it a crime for a
man or a woman to live on the prosti-
| tuition of women. In the case of for