Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-18
.DREYFUS MEETING.
Prominent citizens of Des NIoines
Hold Mass Meeting to Protes,
Against tho Verdict at Rennes.

Hold Mass Meeting to Protest
Against tho Verdict at Rennes.
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Sept 1s.-A Dreyfus in
dignation meeting was held in Des
Moines at the Mirror theater last eve
ming, at which speeches were made by
some of the most prominent men in
town. Although there has been consid-
cradle Dreyfus talk in Des Moines the
past week, most of which has not been
at all complimentary to the French re-
public, the meeting last evening was
very peaceabie. The audience numbered
about 1900. But two of the speakers,
Samuel Strauss of the Des Moines
Leader, and John NJ. Read, president of
the commercial exchange, declared
Dreyfus innocent, but all maintained he
had not been proved guilty and that If
the prosecution was made primarily be-.
cause he is a Jew, it is time for the civ
ilized world to rise up and vigorously
protest. All also said the trial was not
before France alone, nor the verdict
| one which involves that nation only
but that it was tried before the world
and the civilized world is entitled to
| take an interest in the verdict.
| Judge C. A. Bishop. of the district
bench, presided over the meeting, and
1 made the first address. He said the trial
4. was not local affair, in which only
France is interested, but that the entire
world is following it, and judging the
nation according to the result. The first
| speaker after Judge Bishop was John
4 NJ. Read. He gave long and conserva-
j tive address, which seemed to voice the
i sentiments of the audience. So far as
4 the trial was concerned he declared 1T a
Il farce. Not only was Dreyfus on trial
4 but also the republic of France. He
made good point in a comparison be-
4 tween the Dreyfus case and case OF
murder, saying that no man or persons
!, will stand by and see murder commit
4 ted without protesting, unless he has
murder in his heart. nor no nation stane
luuietly by and see liberty abused unless
it's love of liberty is dead.
/ Mr.. Samuel Strauss was the mex
speaker. He said progress was some
thing like the swinging of a pendulum
going backwards and forwards in regu
lar time, but each time gaining little
The points of gain are marked witt
, martyrdom, the Dreyfus being one o
\ the cases. He QeSCFlDeQP ple Jew us DE
) ing people who are hated. persecute'
J, and put to death, and looked down upol
by nearly all the other races. That al
!, though one might live in temporarily
: prosperous present, something like tn
! Dreyfus case comes up, the sleepe
= wakes and discovers that the realitie
!. of the past are the realization of tn
!, present He declared Dreyfus had nc
:, been proved guilty, and was suffere
i not because he is a traitor, but becaus
he is a jew.
Rev. j. F. Nugent, who Representa-
), the Catholics of the city, said the worl
:. was very much inclined to sympathi1
= with the under dog. AS to Dreyfus' II
= nocence he was not certain one way {
;. the other. but like the remainder of tt
speakers, declared the man had M
been convicted on the evidence submit
= ted.
n Rev. j. Everest Cathell rector Of S
g Pauls Episcopal church, was the la.
y speaker of the evening. He made or
point that was entirely new to his heal
q ers 1t was a prediction that the COZ
e viction would possibly be taken up ar
L discussed so generally by the world ;
i large as to permanently do away wit
p race feeling. in which case Dreyf'
$. would be martyr to magnificel
l. cause, and would probably not hesita
y to give up his life if he thought that
e so doing the present feeling would
&c eradicated.