The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-19

tho Republican regime; for, obviously,
had the motion been rejected, DERoULEDE,
GuERfN and their accomplices would have
borne themselves more defiantly than ever,
their prosecution would have degenerated
into a farce, and tho exercise OF judicial
functions by the Senate would have been
discredited.
There Is no doubt that two other motives
operated In favor OF the Ministry. In
almost all French Republicans OF strong
political convictions there Is a rooted an
tipathy to clericalism. The intrusion OF
ecclesiastical influence In secular affairs Is
bitterly resented. Consequently, even
those Republicans who honestly opposed
revision OF DREYFUs's first sentence, be-
came restless when they saw the Jesuts
and other Catholic orders arrayed on the
same side. They might themselves deem
1t expedicnt for the sake Of preserving
respect for the army to permit an innocent
individual to be sacrificed, but they had no
intention Of promoting thereby a coalition
between the army and the clergy To meet
their views. NJ. WALDECK- ROUSSEAU, after
advising President LoUBET to pardon
DREYFus, and after declaring a purpose
Of proclaiming amnesty To all persons i'm
plicatcd In tho affair, announced that the
laws will DO vigorously enforced against
those religious orders, which, proflting by
ministerial federation or Indifference, have
continued to perform educational functions.
Repclling on the one hand the Socialist de-
mand for the abolition OF the Concordat
and pledging himself to fulfil tho obliga-
tions OF the State as regards the episcopate
and the secular priests. the Premier said as
distinctly, on the other hand, that the I'M
authorized religious orders need expect no
indulgence from him not warranted by
rigorous Interpretation OF the statutes.
II was indispensable to separate the friends
ofthc army from the friends OF the religious
orders, IL the present Ministry was to be
sustained How were the former to be pro-
pitated? The Cancellation was effected or
attempted by the amnesty programme,
which, however distasteful to the champions
Of DREYFUs. seems to be cordially APP
proved by n large majority OF patriotic
Frenchmen. who hold that tho judicial ex-
posture and punishment OF MERCER and
other Generals and officers conn 'cted with
the headquarters stan, however desirable
from the viewpoint OF abstract justice,
would lie fatal to the maintenance OF disci-
pline in the ranks OF the French conscripts.
To many foreign onlookcrs this opinion
may appear unreasonable and even casuis-
teal, compared with the principle that the
truth ought always to be spoken never
theless, the opinion unquestionably pre-
walls in France, and had to be reckoned
with by VI. WALDECK- ROUSSEAU, II he de-
sired To retain his office.
Those Frenchmen who are openly or
secretly hostile to the present Republican
regime must have ardently desired the
overthrow OF the existing Cabinet, for this
would probably have been followed by the
restoration to power OF NJ MELINE, who
did not hesitate to denounce in debate the
prosecution now going on before the High
Court OF Justice. They are disconnected,
but not dismayed by the emphatic vote OF
confidence which NJ. WALDEcK- ROUSSEAU
secured on Thursday, and they will try
again to overthrow the Ministry when
the reciprocity treaty arranged between
France and the United States comes under
discussion.