The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-19
GERMAN PRIDE ARlUStD
Over the Verdict of the
Dreyfus Case
l DELIBERATE INSULT

Court of the Official Deaiai OF Secret
CoEmuoicaIIon with Dre,.ps-The
Recent Army Maueuvers Ea.her a
Fsuu-t Samoan Situation -Ac.re--
siveoess OF Agrarian Press.
Copyright by Associated Press)
Berlin, September 16.-Though the
government has taken pains to pre-
serve its equilibrium, the result of the
Dreytus trial has tremendously shock
e. The German people, irrespective of
creed and politics. The bitter insult
implkd by the total disregard on the
part of the Rennes court of the official
Reichsanzeiger's declaration Of Drey-
fus' innocence is deeply felt here.
Owing to the peculiar relations with
France, these sentiments have not
found full vent i'm the press and the
government organs have even done
uheir best TO smother them; but, in
conversation the real feelings of the
people-indignatio and almost con-
tempt-are universally and freely ex-
pressed. A small majority, composed
of anti-Semites and some agrarians and
conservatives, more or less approved the
senterce.
The Hamburger Nachrichter, former
ly the late Prince Bismark's organ,
made itself their mouth piece, asserting
repeatedly that the evidence against
DreyfuS this time was MO more than had
previously been made public, and that
Dreyfus had been convicted, not for
spying fer Germany, but tor Russia,
citing a mass Of alleged evidence in
support of this assertion. When these
were disputed and ridiculcd by THE bulk
of the press, the paper said the infor-
nation was deprived from a source ex-
Guiding all doubt of it's authenticity
and correctness and was corrobo1 ated
by several competent persons. This
view was shared by a number of prom
trent papers, including The Deutsch
Tages Zcitung, The Stattsburger lei
tung and others.
The correspondent here of the Asso-
ciated Press has interviewed promi-
nent foreign official, who said:
'"The government was not surprised
at the conviction Of Dreyfus. The
Reichsanzeiger publication was largely
for the purpose of deprivin'g the world
of the chance of saying Dreyfus had
again been sentenced because Germany
kept silent. We postponed the publica-
ton until the last moment, as we sus-
pected it might hurt rather than benefit
the accused.
''Regarding the assertions of The
Hamburger NachTichten, We think it
quite likely the paper is making the
statements on good authority. Many
well-informed PERSONS believed Dreyfus
had Russia and not Germany to deal
with.
Concerning the talk Of boycotting
the Paris exposition, it is mot Gern1any's
part to put herself in the foreground
in such a movement. The official rela
tions of France and Germany have not
suffered in the least through the SEN
tence There is no intention On the
part of the government to join in any
directly unfriendly steps against
France. The best proof that we do
not mean to suspend preparations for
the exposition is that the chief com
missioner, Herr Richter, has just started
for Paris.''
This reported connection OF Drayfus
with Russia, lis also common talk in
diplomatic circles here, where it finds
credence. 1t is also stated that evil
dence of this was produced at tine
casses hurried visit to st. Petersburg,
in support of this story.
On the question of joining in a boy
colt, public opinion is very divldend.
The big majority favor active partici-
patton in the exposition. while num-
Der of leading and influential papers like
The Vossische Zeitung and The Tage-
blatt, advocate absentatiOn. 1t is re-
ported that a few important firms and
several commercial associations have
fhua:r dLofa
but these, are the exception and not the
rule The bulk OF influntlal opinion
seems to await the action OF Germany's s
principal competitors in the CONNER
ciai race, especially Great Britain and
the United States and will be guided
thereby.
The army maneuvers this year are
regarded as mediocre success, owing
to various causes chiefly unfavorable
weather The maneuvers ended earlier
than arranged, because of the intendd
day, which was subsequently abandon
ed. Thus Emperor William had his
preparations for this important visit
for nothing. Aside from these un-
toward circumstances, other features
aroused serious criticism OF dhe mill
tary value of these big maneuyers, in
which three army corps, numbering
80, 900 men, participated The troops
marched we'll, the infantry covering, in
spite of the weather, being often knee
deep in mud from twenty TO forty KID
ornsuers daily.
But some of the commanders made
egaregiOa1S blunders- General Won
FtalkensauSen, commanding the Thr-
teenth corps. got separated from the
Fourteenth, and the plan Of campaign
had TO be licked into shape for the next
morning
The emperor's Gashing charge al the
head of two cavalry divisions On Wed
nehday was a fine sight But all the
experts agreed that such a charge 10
actual war and under the same condi-
tions would have led 10 the complete
annihilathon of the whole cavalry.
There was, however, the remarkable