Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-31
Shooting Of Labor Indicates the
Dangers to Public Order
LUGGAGE CHECKED ALL RIGHT now
A Proposed Russian Show Of
American Exhibits.
SEASIDE Wears PROBLEM
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

yesterday at Rennes. 1t Is only matter
of wonder that similar crimes have not
been reaped in full harvest there when one
considers the furious Indictment to such
acts by the gutter rags of newspapers such
as the Anti-Jew, the Libre Parole. These
papers ought to be suppressed by the gov
eminent, especially at time when the
natural excitement of the Dreyfus trial Ia
sending every weak-headed individual or
his mental equilibrium.
1t is well for France, in the bad blood
and high fever of a crisis. which has been
so long developing, that a strong govern
ment is at the head of affairs. The arrest
Of M. Deroulede and other royalist con-
sprators seems to have been most oppor-
timely. for the proceedings at Rennes are
an open confession Of the rivalry between
civil and military government in France,
and the spectacle of military treason and
impotence is making men wild. Yesterday
the life of Maitre Labor. the gallant advo-
cate to whom the cause Of civil govern
ment probably owes more at the moment
than to any other Frenchman. was at
tempted by an assassin, who shot him in
the back as he was on his way to the
court and even II the assassin should not
prove to be conspirator who has escaped
arrest. or mailman Of the Deroulede
camp. this act Of rabid violence sufficient
ly dangerous to public order in the temper
of the moment. It is not wonderful,
though it touches great height Of auda-
cious absurdity. that General Zurlfnden.
disavowing the whole pretense upon which
the resistance to revision was based, should
have pretended yesterday that 1.-The honor
of the army has nothing to do with the
case before the court" Perhaps it might
be we'll If the mob sentiment which has
cried "vive rArmee." in ignorance of peril
to the republic, were assuaged by thinking
so; but what General Zurlinden fears is
that the cry may come to mean Rid the
army of it's rebels" Before he went into
the witness box to disavow it. NJ. Casimir-
Perier, recalled at his own request. had
accused General MERCER of fnsubordina-
ton. The murder was out: the court-mar
tial was Informed that the prime author of
the Dreyfus persecution, in his capacity
Of minister Of war; had defied the presi-
dent Of the republic; and with General
MERCER, 1T was evident that every MEM
Der of the general staff who is passionate
lY defending him at Rennes Is upon trial
in a much more important sense than Cap
tain Dreyfus. The honor of the army,
Frenchmen understand the phrase, was
never so much involved as it is in the
charges against General MERCER; and if
General MERCER did not cut SO poor fig
ure, his friends would be the first to cry
the fact aloud.
Evidently the French army is not better
officered now than 1t was in the collapse
assured that the army was prepared to
the last button, experience in the field
showed that 1t was very unprepared. Not
the least sensational of the Dreyfus reve-
lations is that General MERCER should. as
minister of war. have taken upon himself
to dismiss 10000 soldiers without asking
the sanction of the president. Still more
lamentable is the picture the gallant gen
eral drew of his waiting till midnight for
a declaration of war from Germany. It ap-
pears that the generals terrors were i'm
aginary Germany never dreamed of max
ing war on France on so silly a subject as
the Dreyfus scandals. Germany simply de-
manded that the false statements connect
ing Germany with the should not be
repeated, and the demand was satisfied.
1t would have been absurd for Germany to
have made war on France. because Ger
man spy system had been discovered. They
all do it. and Besides. if any power had
made war 1t ought to have been France.
which was the aggrieved party.
Boer's War Preparations.
No further news has been received from
the Transvaal indicating increased tension
in the relations between Pretoria and Lon
don. The report that 1900 troops were
ready to embark for India has been dis
counted. 1t was quite well known that on
the outbreak of hostilities reinforcements
VIII be dispatched from Bombay. The feel
ing continues to prevail that Mr.. Kruger
will carry a procraStnating game
long possible: but he will in the end
yield rather than accept. war which
would be ruinous to himself and his en-
tourage. 1t is expected that he will in the
end agree to the proposed inquiry without
lacking to it conditions which could not be
accepted, and which, If persisted in, would
bring about the final crisis. Should this in
nuiry be held 1t is regarded improbable
that the Transvaal government will not
concede the reforms necessary to satisfy
the Uitlanders and secure the pacification
of the country. Pending further negotia-
tions. however. the government will not
lax their preparations for war, and it Is not
surprising that the Liverpool regiment has
been ordered to Lafng's Mex, on the Natal
border, the scene of the Boer victory over
British troops nearly twenty years ago,
and to hold it to the last extremity. 1t
must be remembered. however that the
Beers also are making elaborate prepare
tons for a struggle. The victories they
won over the British in the last war have
imbued them with boundess confidence in
their own prowess and with a correspond
ing contempt for the redcoats. and these
are just feelings that might lead such
people to welcome war.
No More Luggage Troubles.
The continuance of fine weather is hay
ing very marked effect upon holiday
traffic Of all kinds from London. The rail-
way companies are reaping rich harvest,
those who have a connection with Scot
land finding great difficulty, by means of
the ordinary trains. to meet the demands
upon them. Some of the late trains to Scot
land on Saturday night went away with
every third-class carriage packed with its
full complement-a rather uncomfortable
condition of things for passengers when
they have four-hundred- mile Journey in
front of them. The traffic to all the sea-
side resorts within easy reach of London
continues quite abnormal the prolonged
heat driving people to seek the cool breezes
of the seaside. Lodging house keepers at
some of the favorite resorts are having a
fine time of it, and in some cases for cas-
ual visitors they are demanding high prices
for sleeping accommodation.
On the Thames the steamboat traffic has
been on larger scale than for some years
Captains find it very difficult to keep with
In the requirements of the board Of trade
with regard to the number of passengers
they carry. The luggage difficulty, so
anomalous tC Americans used to the check
system, has been to a large extent over
come by the chief railway lines which run
out of London. Not long ago one Of the
companies started a system of collecting
passengers luggage and forwarding it in
advance and the system worked SO well
that 1t has quickly developed, till now all
the leading companies have adopted it.
There are times of extraordinary pressure
when 1t is APT to be clogged, but that is
inevitable. The passenger who avails him
SELF or II is, as a rule, surprised at the
expedition of the delivery rather than any
thing else He is prepared at crowded