The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-26
GOOD REASON FOR CRITICISM.


Americans are becoming hysterical
over the Dreyfus trial. 1t. admits that
there are grounds for believing the
captain innocent, but still, 1--WE do not
know" This caution is not at all to
the point. The general trend of criti-
cism has been directed at the ex-parte
character of the proceedings at Rennes
and the frankly disclosed Partially and
bias of the judges. Viewed from the
standpoint of abstract justice, it makes
no difference whether Dreyfus is guilty
or not, but it is a matter for regret and
condemnation the world over, that the
object of the trial should appear to be
not to lay bare the exact truth, but to
make the conviction of the accused as
easy as possible and his acquittal cor
respondingly difficult That is not
what is commonly understood as justice
and fairness in any civilized nation
Yet at the same time, it is not neces-
sary to assume that all the judges or
all the generals and members of the
general staff are rascals, reasonable as
it is to believe that some of them are
The state of mind in which these men
find themselves is to be accounted for
partly by the idolatrous esprit de corps
of the army and the popular generation
for it, and partly by the prevalent soph-
istry that the means justifies the end,
thus elevating Col. Henry to the posi-
ton of patriot-martyr, because he was
willing to commit crime in obedience
to orders or to his own conviction that
the honor of the army would be saved
thereby Add to these motives the
fundamental fact that under the French
code, the rights of the Individual are
reduced to a minimum, while political
expediency and the good of the state
suit of this is that the burden Of proof
is laid upon the accused to demonstrate
his innocence, rather than upon the
prosecution to show that he is guilty.
These facts are sufficient to explain
how men who esteem themselves hon
est and patriotic may do evil when they
think they are doing good, but the ex-
PLANTATION will not justify their conduct
in the eyes of Just and impartial
world. The foundation Of the French
judicial system is a survival of the po-
lice espionage of the Napoleonic era,
and If its pedigree be traced farther
back, its medieval and ANTICIPATED char
acter becomes only the more apparent.
If nothing else comes from the Drey-
fus trial save the modification of
French judicial principles for the pro-
lection of the rights of the individual.
great gain would be accomplished. It
is absurd in these times for
judicial proceedings to be char
acterized by such evident efforts to
suppress the truth as We're exhibited by
Col. Jouaust, president of the Rennes
court-martial, when he headed off La
BORIS cross examination Of Gen. Mer-
cier.
IT Jouaust were the only prejudiced
one, his behavior might be viewed in a
somewhat different light, but he seems
to have the tacit support of the other
members of the court, and it has been
characteristic of every reviewing board
that has considered the "affaire Drew
fus," save the court of cessation, which
compelled the present trial. What other
conclusion can there be, but that the
Rennes court-martial is determined
that Dreyfus shall be convicted again.
whatever facts may be in his favor?
The illegal introduction OF Sc
cret evidence, whereby the orig
inal conviction was accomplished
is but part and parcel of the
same imposition, and If this should be
excluded or proved worthless, some
othor pretext condemning the prisoner
will be invented and sustained That
is the present outlook.