New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-06
A BRIGHT SIDE OF THE CASE.

PROFESSOR GARNER SAYS THE DREYFUs
AFFAIR HAS DONE FRANCE SOME GOOD
DR. Charles NJ GARNER professor OF English
literature in the Lycee Corneille Of Rouen. France,
arrived here on La Champagne last sunday and
IS now the guest Of Nine Tsne az 10. 533 West
End-ave He is one Of the founders OF the Rouen
branch Of the IiSuc des Droits De rHomme. n
national association. formed after the judicial
persecution of lola had aroused considerable anxi-
ETY. IN France that the liberty Of the individual
was in serious LANCER This society. which has
more than Ave thousand members though 1t is only
a twelvemonth Old did much 10y means of mass
meetings and the circulation Of petitions 10 bring
about the revision OF the conviction or Dreyfus.
and hence Professor GARNER is we'll htted 10 ex-
press the feelings OF his countrymen on that mo-
mentous subject. To Tribune reporter who called
him last night he said.
! think that considerable unnecessary anxiety
is being felt and expressed for France in her pres
ent trying situation. The dangers which confront
her are less serious than other nations seem 70
believe. There Is 4 bright side 10 this situation.
and Of that l wish 10 speak. The Dreyfus trial
has stirred France 10 the depths. II has shaken
several national idols their pedcstals. and the
result will be progress and reform. The fact that
clique Of military generals has been able 10 put
our whole army In doubtful position before the
world is OF course deeply 20 be regretted. but NJ
the same time every impartial observer must adj
init that there perhaps no countries In the
world except Great Britain. the United States
and France where revision could have been
secured AT all Of case in which many and
SO powerful influences were opposed. as in the
Drcyfus affair. This alone speaks volumes for
the spirit Of fair play and cqua Justice which lies
near 10 the heart of France and VIII prevail de-
spit. all efforts to stiAe II
Il am not one ~ those who fear a revolution
after Dreyfus IS acquitted and corruption lu high
places has been laid bare Those who say that
the army will obey the commands OF any clique Of
officers who order them to turn their guns against
Frenchmen do not know the army. We have n
standing army Of 10000 men. and they represent
every shade # feeling and religion and politics that
have. They also represent the common peo-
pie very largely That means that they represent
the democratic sentiments OF the nation very
largely. The aristocratic. the impcrlallst element
I'm the army is almost wholly confined 10 the off,
GERS. and TO the higher officers at that BUT even
near the top there IL some leaNtn of the common
stock, and there II so little sympathy between this
arlatocratic element and the democratic that no
unanlmity IA possible in any scheme ~ the officers
which aims at the overthrow OF the republic. The
rank and file would simply not obey. one OF the
best results OF this Dreyfua case viii he the clean
ing out OF nest OF corrupt army officials
Another splendid thing which the DreN fus
Is doing for France T. the Shaking up which the
the resultant combinations have amazed onlook-
It has made allies OF factions that formerly
could no redeemlng feature In one another. and
will produce such remodelling OF political. social
and moral forces must result I'm national adj
yancement. Tho Dreyius TRIAL VIII show UP anti