Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-14
THE DRRYFus VERDICT.

Without doubt almost the entire
world believes that the Jewish captain
convicted, Saturday by a, French court
martial was absolutely innocent OF the
charge laid at his door. Not only has
there been brought forward no evil
dence to prove Dreyfus' guilt, but. il
has not been shown that he could have
had any reason for committing the
reasonable action ascribed to, him.
From the first moment. that he was
accused his manner has been that of
an innocent man. BY neither word nor
gesture, at any time, has he appeared
to act as a criminal would under SINH
lar circumstances. When, first arrested
he was given, after, the French custom,
a chance to commit suicide, and save
himself the disgrace of a trial. Being
a Frenchman he would, if guilty, have
gladly accepted this opportunity. That
he refused it, is strong evidence of his
Innocence.
But the guilt of Dreyfus was not
matter to be settled by evidence pro
and con. 1t was something pre-ar-
ranged, fore-ordained by the powers of
military despotism that hold france in
fee. The general staff had decided. in
1894 that Dreyfus must suffer to5cover
the shame and corruption of the
French military When popular de-
mand for. a new trial again brought
the question before them in 1899, the
staff determined that it could not back
down from the old position. 1t was
necessary that the decision Of 1894 he
re-athrmed. .Fiif
Colonel Jouaust was commissioned to
see that this was done, and with the
assistance of Generals Mercier and lRo-
get he has,well acquitted himself of the
task. With merciless hand he; has piled
on to the back of the selected scape-
coat the sins of the general staff.
The trial. has been mere farce. 70
those who were in the secret it must
have been pitiable to see the poor pris-
oner's hopes raised at the thought that
at last Justice was to be done him, that
at last the stain was to be removed
frim his name, and from his family,
while all the time these men knew that
it was only phantom of Justice that
so stirred their victims soul. 1t was
like dangling bread before the lips OF
starving man. We may suspect that
even Jouaust found his job bitter one,
and we must wonder at the nerves of
steel he displayed in carrying it out,
even while we despise the cowardice
that can let an innocent man suffer for
the sins of others.
1t is likely that the ten year SEN
tence will be committed, and the pris-
oner set free: but the stain of treason
is on Alfred Dreyfus' name, and its
faint rests on his wife, his children,
and all who are near and dear to him
This is the cruel injustice that may
bring him to his grave of a broken
heart.
And as for France, still blacker
snot besmirches her fair name, a spot
so black as to darken all her future.
She was guilty as nation of great
crime: she had chance to redeem her.
self, and she would not. Rather let us
say. she could not. AS republic she
engaged in a struggle with her army,
and lost. It was civil institution
against military power, and the army
won. Those who see in Saturdays
event the beginning of the end OF the
French republic are not far wrong.
With such men as Loubet and Gallifet
at it's head it may last for while, but
we can not think it will be many
years,