The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-14
FATE OF FRANCE.
1t Is Involved in the Issue of the
Dreyfus Case.

1t Is Involved in the Issue of the
Dreyfus Case.
Copyright, 1855, by the Associated Press.
KENNES, Aug. 13.-The battle over
Dreyfus has begun in earnest Its politi-
cal bearings are shown in the arrest of
Paul de Roulede, the Geputy and poet,
and twenty-three of his numerous royal
list ana Bon2partist allies, who have
pooled with him against the republic. AS
in the Boulangist conspiracy the pool will
be of little consequence hut for the mill
tary caste, which has found representa-
tive men in Gen. de Negrier and some
other generals having great commands.
1t is a strange thing, how the fight has
thickened around the shadowy and enia-
ciated red-haired Jew, whose uniform
ct an artillery captain so III fits and be-
fits his figure and physiognomy, Last
Mondays sitting of the court-martial and
the subsequent nOn-public sittings were
the first sBirmishing operations, but yes
terday was a field day in which the two
hostile forces into which France is divid
ed and has been since the Revolution set
themselves in array of battle and drew
the first blood.
Each side stands committed to a GER
tain course and has burned its ships. The
actual Dreyfus trial is trial OF strength.
/ cannot see possibility of its ending in
a drawn game 1t is now meek or
nothing combat, a desperate fight in
which neither side will give in unless ut
terly routed. The moral situation of the
forces engaged reminds one of the armies
of the French Revolution and those they
had to fight.
OPPOSING FORCES.
The Dreyfusites have the brains, the
forward impulse, the dash and the fieXi-
hility. At the same time they are raw
recruits, gathered spontaneously from the
four points of the compass. Hatred of
the military caste and, it may be- the
secret hope of rewards have made them
homogeneous. The Nationalists have So
cial and other prestige, numbers and or
ganization. Their center is composed of
the majority of Frenchmen and French
women; their left wing is formed of 22,
COO 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 nu-
merous side does really fight for the cause
Cf humanity, justice and truth. The
Dreyfusites have at any rate won bellig
erent rights, and they are sure of the
friendly neutrality of the government.
Their adversaries can no longer make
use of the rope that hung Piccar, or the
razor that cut Henry's throat. The min
lister Of war could not, If he wanted TO,
read a forged document in parliament. 1t
is impossible to fix the dossier with
fables fit for Mother Goose tales But
organization, numbers, prestige and
wealth make a great power. Doubtless
the Dreyfusites are supplied with Jewish
funds, without accepting NJ. de Freycin-
cts estimate of 100000 francs The
sums subscribed by English and German
Jews must be enormous; but like
wealthy Gentiles, rich Jews are fond of
the pomps and vanities of life and the
titles of aristocratic society. Many of
them are frightened already at the on
ward pact of the Dreyfusites
MEKCIER's PLEA.
Gen. Mercier's deposition given to the
cOurt-martial yesterday was inaudible
unless to the judges and shorthand re-
rorters. 1t fell fat, his voice and de
livery being bad But we have it now, in
print. It contains what we did not give 1t
credit for during the delivery. 1t con-
tains easy, f1owery statement plausibility
and the art of lulling suspicion. AS the
deposition appears in full, in the reports,
1t viii everywhere be read with delight
by those already persuaded that Dreyfus
is traitor They will not see what was
Pecksnitf1an, what was Of feline per-
fidty, 6guratively speaking.
The deposition. which was really a
speech for the prosecution. shows Mercier
to be a Flautist of the highest order.
He never loses his way in the most in
tricate variations, and keeps in view that
Dreytus is cool, calculating, we'll in
formed traitor.
The immediate issue of the fight is the
freedom Of Dreyfus, but yesterdays Incl