The herald., 1898-09-11
ZURLINDfN'S belief
DELAYS PROGRESS IN DREYFUs
INQUIRY
temper OF THE COUNTRY
Makes It Necessary to Sneak Slowly
Rather Than Do Plain Justice
| With Boldness
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated PreSS special wire.
PARIS, Sept. 1O.-(Special Gable Letter.
Copyrighted, 1881 Expectation was disap-
pointed today. The ministerial council was
to have held a meeting, sitting with the
object Of hearing the war minister's ac-
count of the Dreyfus case and the newly dis
covered delinquencies Of the STAFF officers.
But General Zurlinden, finding he had not
yet the ground upon which to form sound
opinion, asked for an adjournment. He is
the serious, honorable minded, worthy col
league of the conscientious Brisson, and
was chosen to investigate the Dreyfus af-
fair as war minister because he Is not
biased and Is weighted with a sense of the
responsibility involved in the matter. Be-
ing Protestant OF bourgeois breeding, he
does not share the ultra-Catholic anti
Jewish feeling of the caste at the war Of
flee. Having been a prisoner of war in
Germany in 1870 and being an Alsatian, lie
is warmly patriotic and would sympath!ze
with the judges of Dreyfus should he find
evidence of guilt.
Judging by the disappointment when news
was received that the council had ad-
journed the Dreyfus affair is in a good
channel. The country now being violently
ohNi-OCiilitb anu OISy UtluS d Jew, tne
government will have to act with willy
creep, rather than a walk forward. The
late Lieutenant Colonel Henry's confess
sion brought public opinion round TO re-
vision, but the hostility to Dreyfus is not
abated. The people feel that mist OF in
iquity is involved in The affair, and they
VIII attempt to penetrate 1t. They are
beginning to understand that the general
staff is no better than when it rendered the
military disasters of 1870 inevitable. The
resignation of General Boisdeffre as chief
CT the general staff is a standing puzzle,
i and 1t arouses suspicious that only pub
| lie trial can quiet.
| The darkest conjectures are seemingly
Justified by the circumstances connected
with Colonel Henrys suicide, which, the
Jews remark, was accomplished on the day
| the scientists congress broke up. That
event utterly discredits the intelligence
department of the war office. and, indeed
discreGits the whole general staff.
| The fairies, as In the Greek tragedies
seem to enter into this drama. The fall of
General Boisdeffre brings the drama home
| to the imperial court of Russia, where, as a
brilliant aristocratic attache, he was a
great favor1te. He was admitted to the in
innate festivities Of the imperial family
and was a fayorite partner of the empress
dowager in the dancing days. The French
republic sent him as special ambassador
10 the late cars funeral and to be present
at the cars coronation. Great sums of
money were allowed him to cut a dash.
The reopening of the Dreyfus case may
solve the puzzle.
The Liberal says the examination of the
documents in. the Dreyfus case had fed
General Zurlinden, the minister for war
to the conclusion that the prisoner is
guilty, "as did his predecessors" and that
consequently the general has decided to re-
sumo the military governorship Of Paris
next week.
A semi-official note issued this evening
says the minister for war has handed to
the minister of justice the papers in the
Dreyfus case with his definite opinion
thereon.
The council, 1t is added will on Monday
decide definitely upon the course to be pur-
sued