The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-16
FRANCE IS IN A TURMOIL
Zola's Charges Place the Whole
Army on Trial.
MAY LEAD TO VIOLENCE
The Facts in the Dreyfus Case Will Now
Come Out in Public Trial--The Con-
sequences May Be of Most
Serious Nature
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.

which the Dreyfus case has entered is
distinct advance. The era of secret
courts martial is over and n civil and
public court will have TO investigate
Emile Zola's charges of persistent dis
tortion of justice. The behavior of
military authorities in "burking' the
inquiry. casts the gravest reflections
upon the oft-asserted honor of the
French army. which has shown an OBJ
stinate determination to stick together
right or wrong.
Outside of France all Europe believes
Dreyfus is the victim of villainous
conspiracy and the prosecution of Zola
has broadened the question for the
whole French army Is now virtually
placed on trial. The gravity of the Sit
uation is enhanced because the whole
of France is in a state of growing hys-
tericai excitement. Temporarily the re-
public is generally supported through
out the country, lNlt history shows that
similar hysteria has frequently led IL
violence and chaos. When France is
the suspicious pi8ve that the honor of
the army is reaIB affected, the conse-
quences to the Ihpublic might be of
most serious description. The Panama
scandals have defiled political life and
the law courts Have been discredited
therefore, If respect for the army must
also be surrendered. the desire to
change the government may be ire
pressihle, in which case the temptation
for the leaders to divert the attention
of the country to foreign war will he
well nigh irresistible. Hence the deep
interest of Frances neighbors
Fol- the moment. the intense excite
ment will probably find an outlet in the
renewal of the spectacle presented dur.
N thn lact Ir<yS OF El..t,
alterations i'll the streets. leading 10
assaults are frequent; the police are
guarding the houses of prominent Drey-
russians. and it Is impossible to foresee
where The arrests will end. Slander and
denunciation are so rampant that tho
authorities are taking special precau-
tions 10 prevent the calumniated from
taking the law into their own hands.
Duels have already resulted A mon
ster manifestation is preparing in Paris
for Sunday 1t is alleged to be anti
Dreyfussan. Really it Is anti-semitlc,
and unless prohibited, 1t is feared seri-
GUS riots may he the sequel
Temporarily overshadowed. the move
ments of the French on the Upper Nile
are again becoming unpieasantly prom
inent to those who imagined that Great
Britain had undisputed claims upon
those regions. 1t is immaterial In dis
cuss the exact wherea bouts of the
French expeditions 1t sufiices that az
.ordlnG 10 the bulk of evidence they
nave penetrated 10 Bahr-Ghazal the
most fertile province Of the Egyptian
Soudan with the distinct mandate of
their government.
Ii TINS rs true and the declarations
OF successive British cabinets mean
any1nlng, NJ. HanotauN has brought
about a causns belli Thus far Nj. Han
otaux seems 10 have the advantage
nut the game Is dangerous Fear Of
war with France will not stop Great
Britain from recovering the whole |
,Eeypt1an Soudan and driving out any
French expeditions which may be found
1here. when IN the opinion of the Mar
gus Of salisbury. the proper time has
arrived.
In the meantime Prince Henry Of Or |
Jeans Is hitting out at Marseilles and |
evidently with the approval of the gov
ernment, an armed expedition to sub
due the equatorial provinces which the |
Negus presented, claiming they had be
1onged Ia AhNssinia in prehistoric |
times; but in reality these provinces are /
identical with those Great Britain is |
seeking 10 restore Ia Egypt. So. per- |
haps. there is some truth in the story |
that the activity Of the British is due |
70 the Egyptian intelligence department. t
learning that the French Abyssnian I
troops have reached Fashoda that T
klng Menellk Is preparing reinforce
mehts with the intention Of following I
up THIS success, and that common
policy. which Is morally supported by |
Russia. united France and Abyssinia
fhefe are persistent reports of grave /
troubles threatening Persia. The shah's
sovereignty has always been shaky and +
It is now affirmed 10 be rapidly slipping
away from his grasp. Indeed the SIT
hatlon al iehefah II described as being