The times., 1899-10-07

PHILADELPHIA. Oct I'm q maga-
zine article printed today Thomas p. Reed.
former Speaker Of the House OF Represen-
tatives, gives his views upon Paris and
French Justice" Ny Reed says IN part.
Perhaps the difference between nations,
which causes us 10 make the greatest mis-
takes IN our estimate Of all nations but our
Dwn. arises not from the difference IN think
ing or in principles. but from the differ
ence in habits. Our habits 90 on automati-
eally, and so 90 theirs. When We come IN
contact with their habits we have 10 do
thinking. and that is disturbance. and We
insensibIy regard their ways OF doing things
as bad, because habit has made cur own
way SO easy.
While the new trial Of Dreyfus did not
take place in Paris, the problem of its ef-
feet on the discordant elements of that
great city was the subject Of much discus
sion It is difficult for a foreigner TO COM
prehend the fun force and bearing Of that
case. In the FIRST place. the French method
u d4lALAlrtCl AaAE IuEiAAE cAtlhS NfNl- 4AASAA
and preconceived notion Of an Englishman
or American. Every principle alike of evi-
dence and decorum seems TO be outraged by
the procedure Of the courts in such cases.
..our courts-martial seem sometimes TO
lawyers to be tribunals where the widest
and. perhaps, the widest departures are al
lowed But compared with similar courts
In France, and even courts under the charge
Of civil magistrates. our courts martial are
models Of propriety and OF judicial strict
ness.
"As for the trial at Rennes. that seemed
beyond Rll the possibilities Of our habits.
1t ought to be said, however. that we were
probably given a very distorted picture of
what actually went on. All the testimony
which came TO US was condensed by hands
which may have been skillful or may have
been unskiilful, with all the chances
against us.
Charles Reade once said that there were
but two men in all London who could con-
dense evidence and leave in the living and
essential facts. The chances are that
neither OF these men nor his French equiv
alent was az Rennes. But whether We got
al the true case or not, one thing seems
fully certain. which is, that the way they
have OF getting al the truth is strange be-
yond even the experience Of dreams.
All the things which a court Of justice
would keep-out OF the evidence as utterly
irrelevant and misleading are laid before
the court With the utmost profusion. In
stead Of one directing mind on either side
managing The marshgling of witnesses and
the display Of evidence, everybody seems
united TO furnish alike facts and opinions,
no matter how remote the facts may be
nor from whom The opinions may come.
What we call fhearsay' testimony. and
which we reduce 10 such limits that any
one might fairly say that We discard it
eltogethe. seems the warp and woof of the
whole case. Speaking very generally, Ct
course our system is that no testimony Is
worth having which cannot be put under
the sesrchlight Of rigid cross -eXamina
tion. Justice demands lot only the truth,
hUt the whole truth. A half truth may be
Tie worst kind Of a lie
when yon are told that a man said
certain words, and have no chance 10 ask
him II be said them just that way, or what
else be said. or Why he said il, and whsn
he said it, you have not even the highest
human assurance Of truth, and even the
highest assurance of truth is very far
short Of absolute verify. The great bulk
Of the testimony submitted and received
seems CT this character.
1t is OF course proper to say that there
are minds so strong and discriminating so
well trained and skillful, that such evil
dence would lead the way to just conelu-
sion. Such tribunals. however, are rare,
and are not often found in courts martial
However. all French procedure is in
like manner entirely different from ours,
and yet. nevertheless. has so maintained
civil government, liberty, and the rights
Of has
ali the purposes Of courts Of justice. that
probably our criticism is but another in
stance OF the inability OF one nation TO put
itself in another nations place Our hab-
its are simple 10 US. and seem indispensa-
ble. but their habits are equally simple to
them. and equally indispensable.
The question IS often asked whether the
Dreyfus case viii lead to disaster and the
overthrow Of the republic OF course the
gift o. prophecy has not survived the de-
struction of Jerusalem, and before this ar
ticle is printed il may be that the earth
quake has come. Nevertheless. il is no
at al probable that any conspicuous ma
tional disaster viii happen
The truth Is. that the affair is not OF
any line Of cleavage which could spill
the nation into two discordant and bellig
erent parts The differences Of opinion OF
this question are purely individual, ant
have no force adequate TO the separation
OF large masses. But the main reason 70
the opinion here expressed is the fact tina
the French republic is today apparently
stronger than Il ever has been before. /
has passed through not few crises whicl
have tested its temper and its stability
ITO 4 man who believes that suitabl
government is that government which an
nation can furnish to itself. and that tn
people OF country are. in the long run
their sKn most capable governors. the ex
perience OF republic In the heart Of Eu
rope, surrounded by monarchies and prin
cipalitieS and powers, itself tumultuous b
nature and always yearning for strang
gods. Is the most interesting Of all huma
problems
That the solution may be suceessfu
and permanent is the good wish Of all c
us who love the liberties we have. and 70
which We would die. and who remenlbe
that 70 France we owe the troops and th
ships which gave us the victory that ena
bied Us 10 offer the example 10 the worl
o. a people governed without the divin
right Of kings and withou; the institutio
OF aristocracy."
WHIPPED THREE HIGHWAYMEl