Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-14

Much more Information than is as yet
forthcoming must be- had to permit sat
isfactCry estimate of the cause and the
effect Of the shooting of NJ. Labor at
Rennes today. At first glance it seems to
reveal the desperation of the anti-Dreyfus-
ards after the failure of their star witness.
Mercier, to adduce and convicting
facts against the prisoner. 1t likewise
would appear to strengthen Dreyfus hold
upon the sympathies of the unprecedented
people of France-if there are any now re-
manning. 1t assuredly cannot harm the
cause of the accused save so far as 1t may
deprive him of the valuable services of
his counsel. who in close touch with
every item and phase of the whole affair
from first to last
But interest in the attempt at asSaSsina-
ton goes further than speculation as to
its influence upon the outcome of the trial.
The developments at Paris during the past
two days have revealed that Frence is in
Il trcnor of anticiI alton. The blood of
the partisans is heated TO the point where
outbreaks may occur at any moment max
ing for a revolution. a stroke of state,
or general reign of disorder For the
counsel of the prisoner. upon whom the
worlds eyes are row fastened. thus to
be suddenly shot down while the atmos-
phere palpitates with dangerous possibili-
ties. therefore, is to add to the reasons for
fearing disastrous happenings.
Much depends upon the nature of the
crime. whether it was the result of con-
spiracy or the act of some irresponsible
individual If plot was it engineered by
the men who are even now under arrest or
sought by the police for conspiring against
the government? Was this dastardly work
jpta lal the
government to cease the prosecution of
the conspirators? Or was it hoped by the
radical Jew-baiters to cripple the Dreyfus
defense at the most important point of
the trial when Gen. MERCER was about
to be confronted with the former President
Casmir- Perier?
Doubtless out of the mass of rumors now
flying and after the excitement caused by
the tragic affair has somewhat died away
II will be possible to find the truth. Mean
while a burst of genuine sympathy will go
forth to Labor and his family for the SUI
ferings which have been brought to him by
his devotion to the cause of justice. The
world could not but admire the spectacle of
this man standing forth as an advocate OF
the truth when he offended Zola. He SEEM
ed the very antithess of the dominant
French character in this role. His vain
struggles to prevent the conviction of the
great author clearly revealed the abomina-
tons of the French legal system. 1t was
felt that he was pre-eminently the man to
defend Dreyfus when his should in
volve the honor of France.
For him to be shot down from be-
hind by Il cowardly, perhaps hired assas
sin. offends the lovers of justice in all coun
tries. Labor the man may be internation-
ally of slight consequence, but Labor the
erS the world has ever known stands the
symbol OF Frances struggle to regain solid
ground and To win anew the respect of
civilization. The injury done to him by the
assassin, whether the tool of others the
agent Of his Own bitter hatred, is d blow at
the nation and il will surely react upon its
Icrpetrator and his principals.