The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-14

Rennes, Aug. 1.-two men ambush
ed Maitre Labori, counsel for Dreyfus.
and one shot was fired, hitting Labori
in the back. M. Labori fell in the road
way. He is still alive.
THE BATTLE BEGUN IN EARNEST
Political Bearings Shown in the Ar
rest of Prominent Royalists.
Rennes, Aug. 14.-The battle has be-
gun in earnest Its political bearings
are shown in the arrest of Paul De-
roulde, the deputy and poet, and %
of his numerous Royalists and Bona
partist allies. who have pooled with
him against the republic. As in the
Boulangist conspiracy, the pool would
be of little consequence but for the
military caste, which has found repre-
sentative men in General De Negrier
and some other generals having great
commands. It is strange thing how
the fight thickened around the shad-
owy and emaciated red haired Jew,
whose uniform of an artillery captain
SO i'll fits and BELTS his figure and
physiognomy.
Last Mondays sitting of the court
martial and the subsequent non-public
sittings were the first skirmishing
operations, but Saturday was a field
day, in which the two hostile forces
into which France is divided and has
been since the revolution, set them
selves in array of battle and drew the
first blood. Each side stands commit
ted to a certain course and has burned
its ships. The actual Dreyfus trial is
a trial of strength. 1t is now meek
or nothing" combat, a desperate fight
in which neither side will give in un-
less utterly routed.
The moral situation of the forces en-
gagged reminds one of that of the
armies of the French revolution and
those they had to fight. The Drey-
fusites have the brains, the forward
impulse, the dash and the flexibility.
At the same time they are raw re-
cruits, gathered spontaneously from
the four points of the compass. Hatred
of the military caste. and, 1t may be,
the secret hope of rewards have made
them homogeneous.
The Nationalists have social and
other prestige, numbers and organiza-
tion. Their center is composed of the
majority of Frenchmen and French
women their left wing is formed of
$4,000 officers and their right wing
consists of the church. All profess
respect for legality, but only from the
lips out.
One side is just as unscrupulous as
the other, but the most active and less
numerous side does really fight for the
cause of humanity, justice and truth.
The Dreyfusites have, at any rate, won
belligerent rights, and they are sure
of the friendly neutrality of the gov
ernment Their adversaries can no
longer make use of the rope that hung
Picard, OF the razor that cut Henry's
throat The minister of war could not,
if he wanted to, read forged docu-
ment in parliament. 1t is impossible
now to stuff the dossier with fables fit
for Mother Goose's tale. But organiza-
tion, numbers, prestige and wealth
means staying power.
Doubtless the Dreyfusitcs are sup
piled with Jewish funds, without ac-
cepting M. De Freycinet's estimate of
39,OOO,O0O francs. The sums subscrib-
ed by English and German Jews must
be enormous, but like wealthy gentiles,
rich Jews are fond of the pomps and
vanties of life, the titles Of aristocratic
society," Many of them are frightened
already at the onward pace of the
Dreyfusltes
General Mercier's deposition was in
audible, unless to the judges and short
hand reporters. 1t fell fiat, his voice
and delivery being bad 1t has quail
ties for which we did not give it credit
during delivery. They are easy, flow
ing statement plausiblity and the art
of lulling suspicion. AS the deposition
appears in full in the papers, it win,
everywhere be read with delight by
those already persuaded that Dreyfus
Is traitor.
The immediate issue of the fight is
the freedom of Dreyfus. but Saturdays
incidents and episodes are the begin
ming of a struggle of far reaching con-
sequence.
Dreyfus is generally unfortunate in
the use of the pen. He was never
more unfortunate than in the letter
complaining that M. Casimir-Perier
did not keep a promise to him. 1t ex-
asperated Casimir-Perer, who treated
as foul libel the assertion that he,
as president of the republic entered
into a pact with an officer accused Of
treason.
In his testimony of Saturday M.
Casimir-Perier said For the honor
of the chief magistracy, which | occu-
pied; for the honor of the republic, |
will not allow it to be said that | had
exchanged a word with captain in
the French army accused of treason
AN INCIDENT IN THE TRIAL.
1t Is Said That Dreyfns Would Have
slapped Mercier's Face.
Rennes, Aug. IA stirring scene
closed Saturdays public session of the
Dreyfus trial. General Mercier, ex-
minister of war, spoke in denuncia-
ton of Dreyfus, who listened unmoved
until MERCER concluded by saying If
he had not been convinced of the guilt
of Dreyfus, and if the latter's convic-
tion had not been fortified since 1891.
he would admit he had been mistaken.
Dreyfus jumped to his feet as though
the words had galvanized himinto new
life, and shouted in voice which re-
sounded through the hall like a trum-
pet note: THAT Is what you ought
to say"
The audience burst into wild cheer,
whereupon the ushers called for 81
Ais.ai,. .alllad III