The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-12
After Dreyfus-What?

We have never been able TO discern, at
any stage Of the Dreyfus trial, the small
est indication on the part Of the court to
elicit the truth and to fortify the strong
hold OF justice When this court was
not a contemplate opera bouf1e-ridicu-
lous and undignlfed-it was an instrument
Of insOlence toward the accused and his
defenders. Seen from this distance, the
whole proceeding was bUrlesque more
extravagant than ever figured in Often
bach's widest fancy. The witnesses for
the prosecution were excused from the
task Of stating facts and from the respon-
sibiIity Of confning themselves within the
bounds of relevancy. They were prose-
cutors, special pleaders. denunciators, and
denagogues. To supplement their igno-
rance, they flew into frantic and violent
harangues. Instead of evidence they gave
imprecation Bafied, discounted, and
contradicted, IN a manner which would
have thrown them out Of court In this
col ntry, they gave rein to their brutal
passions and deluged the tribunal with in
coherent and unsupported anathema.
Every one Of the generals was an attor-
ney-of the class which in the United
States we call shysters. Every one of
them INDUCED himself in maudlin denun-
citation, devoid Of proof or probability. On
the other hand, the presiding officer inva-
riably refused to permit interrogato-ies by
Labor or Demsnge which threatened 10
embarrass the witnesses for the prosecu-
ton. Jouaust did not hesitate-perhaps
this is a familiar and legitimate feature
of French justice-to suppress Dreyfus
and his attorneys whenever they seemed
likely TO make a point. The proceeding
reeked with brutal and tyrannical can
dor which might easily turn the stomach
of a Kaffir magistrate. No effort was
made to keep up the pretense of believing
that Dreyfus was guilty of the offenses
charged against him in 1894. On the con-
trary, and even in the face OF the fright
full narrative of his martyrdom, both the
court and the generals maintained a
cynical indifference which Nero or Com
mOdus might have envied. Those who
knew nothing were encouraged to exploit
their childish suspicious. Notorious and
unsavory Adventures were asked-nay,
encoura ged-to vent their idle gossip.
Those who had facts TO impart-and all of
these were on the side of Dreyfus-were
muzzled, snubbed intimidated. In the
history of the civilized world, there has
not been an incident so shameful and so
disheartening. In the whole record of
Frances humilatiOns there is nothing to
compare with this. Beside ii, Sedan was
an apotheosis, and Metz a triumph of
honor and renown.
Now this so-called court has found
Dreyfus guilty The verdict will not
create a ripple of excitement. for il was
expected from the first. No one who had
watched the proceedings with intelligence
ever dreamed that justice would be done,
for 1t was Enthusiastically evident from the
first that the court existed TO prevent
justice and TO screen criminals. What is
to come next-who shall say? If France
be as besotted, as fatuous, and as degen-
crate as some of her critics insist, the
Dreyfus affair will stop here. and more
SlupciiuUuS lldScOS VIII NC uonclth III II
Loubet and Gallifet be men of high cour-
age and undaunted patriotism, Dreyfus
will be withdrawn from the defendants
box and the atrocious regime, of which
Boisdeffre, MERCER, Roget, and company
are the representatives, will be substi-
tuted. We shall wait. Everything is pos
sible in France-even humanity and JUS