The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-21

the real traitor. He was man known
to be guilty OF the vlest offenses. He
| was unquestionably traitor I'm thought
| and word, II not In deed. While an of.
| ftcer In the French service he had writ
| ten such sentiments as these: 1T would
be an immense delight to me to slaugh-
ter $4,000 Frenchman, as captain ri
| uhlans, II hope soon to see all these
Ignorant, cowardly chiefs of mine go to
| German prisons" The letters contain
ing these expressions were published by
| Figaro. Their authorship could not be
| denied Esterhazy had exactly as Sood
| opportunities to commit the treason at
tributed to Dreyfus as had Dreyfus him.
| self The government could not ignore
the charge against Esterhazy. He was
tried by secret court-martial that was
manlfestly convened only TO Justify the
| governments attitude at all hazards.
| Esterhazy was acquitted of the specific
| charge OF having committed the treason
attributed to Dreyfus; his judges, prom
inent officers, FASTENED to shake hands
with the author of the letters above re-
| ferred to. and the populace of patriotic
| France acclaimed him as the champion
| OF the army and n martyr in Its cause.
o
Then Emile Zola, the foremost of French
literary men today, addressed to Presi-
| dent Faure an open letter, terrible
ernment full of specific allegations
against individuals, and challenged the
government to prosecute him and bring
him to public trial. The government ac-
cepted the challenge. 1t dared not re-
fuse 1t. Zola's letter seemed like an un-
wise move. 1t was oil on fire. It reused
the army, the Chauvinists, the anti-Sem-
ites the students, to fury. France was
in flt of blind rage against Zola, Drey-
fus and the jews. Complete proof of
Dreyfus's innocence would not have Sc
cured justice for him from the govern
ment or from public opinion. The gov
ernment, the army, the populace were
united Dreyfus's cause seemed lost
forever by what appeared to be the in
discretion of Zola. But already the tide
has turned. Many of the most influen-
tial men in Frence are signing Zola s
petition for a retrial of Dreyfus. NJ.
Clemenceau has published strong arti-
Gle demanding the fullest exposure not
only OF the Dreyfus case. but of every
thing connected with the conduct of the
war department. In the chamber of de-
puties on Monday, the government was
able to carry vote against an immedi-
ate, open discussion of the Dreyfus case,
by $40 ayes to 252 noes only by a threat
of immediate resignation, a step whose
consequences to France at this juncture
few friends of the republic would care
" IdCe. n SeCJlOn OF the moo, the an
archistic element, is already openly ar
rayed against the government.
%
Some foreign government knows the
truth back of the "affaire Dreyfus.' If
there is any truth back of 1t. Suppose
1t declares the truth. Suppose the grow
ing impression that there is something
oturageously wrong with the war de-
partment from which the government
has sought to divert attention by making
Dreyfus a scapegoat becomes so strong
that the ministry loses its already weak
ened hold in the chamber of deputies. Is
1t to be hoped that there will follow
nothing mora serious than q change of
ministry? Will not the government be
likely to throw itself upon the army for
protection and support? VIII not til is
be created a state of affairs most fit to
bring about coup de- etat' by some am
bilious general. a military dictatorship,
restoration" of an Orleanist king or
a Bonapartist emperor? The French re-
public has been woefully discredited by
many affairs" the sale of decorations
the Panama affair" the Madagascar
affair" this Dreyfus affair, and many
similar scandals of less importance The
French people have little confidence IN
the honesty or wisdom of the men they
have chosen for office. The bougeoisie
has no confidence at all in the power of
a republic to protect itself, and them
against the social revolutionists. There
is a growing demand for strong gov
ernment or France. 1t seems to us that
the French republic is sitting on a pow
der barrel, with the top knocked out, in
the midst of a conhagration.