The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-25

army. Yet he resigned his office sooner
than admit that there could be any
doubt of the eXiled officers guilt. There
i are many in France who hold the same
belief in all sincerity. The whole tissue
of misrepresentation in which this re-
markable case seems TO be enwrapped
has left the French people distracted
and uncertain what to believe.
The publications which appeared
some months ago in some of the semi
official organs of the French press re-
garding the alleged relations of eX-
Captain DreyfuS with Colonel PaniZ-
gard of the Italian embassy in Paris
aroused such Indignation in official cir
cles here that an investigation of the
whole subject was quietly undertaken
/ under the direction of certain Italian
government officials.
This investigation, the chief part of
which was conducted by F'renchmen,
and the results verified afterward by
Count Tornielli, the Italian ambassa-
dor in Paris, has resulted in an eXpla-
nation of the entire mystery. To the
supremacy important question, neither
yes nor no can be answered. Dreyfus
was nominally guilty, and yet in re-
atty and in intent he was perfectly in
nOcent. He performed an act which,
taken in itself and independently of the
circumstances which attended it, was
high treason against the state. He com
municated to a foreign power detailed
information regarding the organization
of a section of the French army. But
he did this not for money or for any
personal profit, not as a traitor would,
in a covert manner and unknown to
his superiorS. He acted for the best
, interests of his country, and he per-
formed this deed of nominal treason
with all the courage of a hero, and
acting under the name and responsible
ity of a supreme officer. The events
read like chapter from a novel,
The position of chief detat-majeur,
or chief of staff in the French army,
had been for long time in allegiance,
and was revived for General de Miri-
bel. The chief d'etat- majeur is in
charge of the plans for the defenses
of the country. and for the operations
that may be required in case of war.
He has also under him the organization
of the intelligence bureau with its sys-
tenn of espionage and spies.
The great task set before General de
Miribel was the defending of the east
ern frontier, and the mobilizing of the
military forces in that region. It cost
him years of labor, but he did it sin
/ gle-handed. In November, 1891, it was
terminated and the French governing
authorities were freed from the dread
of renewed attacks by the Germans.
The great maneuvers of the east,
held in the following year, drew the at
tention of all the nations of Europe.
They were held on a magnificent scale,
and they proved great triumph for
the chief of staff. 1t was recognized
that France had arisen from the dis
astrous consequences of her defeat 20
years before, and that she might once
more reasonably claim to be in a posi-
ton to cope with any armed nation on
the continent of Europe.
Count de Miribel had had a free hand
7 before this, and now he was left abso-
lutely his own master Perhaps his
position was the more unquestioned be-
cause a civilian, NJ. de Freycinet, was
the minister of war.
In 1892 the triple alliance between