New-York tribune., 1898-09-18
THE DREYFUS MYSTERY.

An important step toward justice IN the
Dreyfus case was taken yesterday. Inc frehcN
Cabinet. or a strong majority OF H. dcclueu ~
submit to n committee to be selected ID! W.
Sorrien the Minister Of Justice, all the uocu-
,nents in the case That committee VIII care
fullv examine them, and then determine
whether or not the case should be reopeheu'
The assumption Is OF course, that II IL ueclueS
in favor of rcopening it the Government VIII a'
once give orders and take action to that ehu'
The decision Of the Cabinet was not ulani-
mons General Zurlnden, the Minister OF
War and NJ. Tillayo the Minister OF fuDhc
Works. dissented and withdrew. The toriier'
in offerinp his resignation, declared that an
exhaustive study of the case had convinced
him of the guilt of Dreyfus 80 fully that ne
could not accept any other solution OF the
nroblem than TO maintain the Judgment IN us
entirety. 1t does not appear that there VIII DE
any general Cabinet crisis, nor Is there reason
to apprehend any such thing as the Presidential
crisis which some have been loudly predicting
The remarks of General ZurndeD which we
have quoted suggest what is, on the whole' 'he
most mysterious feature Of this mysterious
case II seems to he inevitable that the heau
Of the War Department shall oppose revision
and insist upon the guilt or Dreyfus. we nave
soon how vigorously NJ Cavaignac took that
ground General Zurlinden his successor does
the same. II would scarcely he n matter for
surprise II the next one should DO likewise
whoever hc NAV be But what are we to infer
thcrefrom? One Of two things. Either the
War Minister has access to evidence unknown
to the public and to the rest OF the Cabihet
and 10 the friends and counsel OF Dreyfus. OF
else there Is certain army Influence whch
makes every military sentence sacroSanct
If II be the former the proper course Is clear
The secret evidence OF Dreytrs's guilt should
be made public. Or, at least. il should DE re-
vcolcd 70 the members of the Government, or
other authoritative and judicous men. we
suppose that II " Brsson. and VI. Sarricn. and
NJ Schcurer- Kcstncr. and NJ. Faure himself
should unite in saying that the damnlng proofs
had been submitted 10 them, that they con-
s!dcrcd them absolutely convincing of the guilt
Of Dreyfus and that serious reasons OF state
forbade the publication of them, the French
nation and the world would be satisfied. If. on
the other hand. they pronounced the evidence
Insufficient the Justice Of the demand for re-
vision would be apparent and undcniablc. IT
NAV be- that w. Sarrcn's committee Will com
mand absolute confidence. Probably II VIII.
W. Sarren IL a Just man. and VIII doubtless
appoint n committee that will do justice with
out fear or favor.
But II the latter hypothesis he the true one,
then France IS in perilous state indeed. If
there Is a military dcspotsm OF terror. that
ovcrrules all Justice and Insists that whatever
the army says must stand. regardless OF law
and facts. then the Republic Is nearer the brink
of ruin than It has ever been before. % But that
II will fall over tho brink we are certainly not
prepared 10 believe. Our belief Is that Justice
will at last be done 10 the satisfaction OF all.
and that the Republic will stand secure. or
such n contamination yesterdays work gave
cheering promise