The evening times., 1899-09-11
MONDAY, sEPTEMT Il. 1899.
DodginE Crime. Consequences.

Il is quite consonant with the French
character, in its present condition OF
vicious degeneration. to commit an Gp-
palling crime in open defiance of notorious
truth, justice, and the worlds opinion, and
then attempt to dodge its consequences by
resort to barefaced and ridiculous hypoc-
risy. This is illustrated in the action OF
the court martial hyenas at Rennes who
found Dreyfus guilty of treason, for which
the proper punishment is death, but dis
covered "extenuating circumstances, and
so let him of with degradation and ten
years confinement in a military prison.
The idea of treason with ''extenuating
circumstances 1t shows what noiaome
and utterly vacant brain cells in the skulls
of Jouaust and his co-corspirators are de-
voted TO conceptions of decency ard honor.
Even some of the anti -Dreyfusard papers
in France are jeering at this bit CT idiocy-
But, in the main, we are afraid that it IS
widely accepted as quite the necessary II
not the proper thing TO save Gcnse, Roget,
Mercier. De Freycinet. and Cayaignac from
a worse fate than has been decreed for the
prisoner Of lie du Diable. II seems TO be
a remarkably popular idea that dishonor
and outrage should fall upon an innocent
man, rather than that the rascally venality
and treason with which the French gen
eral staff is rotten should be officially rec
ognized.
Having saved the honor of the army"
as Jouaust and his four perjured associ-
ates regard the result of their action il is
considered probable that they may ask
President Loubet TO commute the sentence
or even pardon the victim, for a crime
OF which il is acknowledged he is guilt
less. French generals who know them
selves to be the real villains in the traffic
in army secrets. and the Jew-baiting fac
5i0ns of the country, may hug the delusion
that executive clemency TO Captain Drey-
fus viii put the 'affaire" to rest; but they
are egregiously mistaken. He has be-
come secondary factor. 1t is disgraced
ard dishon red France that occupies tie at
tention of the world today
In common with all other friends o.
truth and justice, We sincerely hope that
the German Kaiser viii confound the com
mon enemies of mankind by publishing the
documents in his possession, which would
exonerate the condemned officer and bring
the actual traitors, his persecUto-s S, 10
shame The latter are declaring that such
a thing is impossible, as foreign govern
ments never ''betray'' a spy. Their con-
tention, in the present case. is weak
one. The German foreign Office has al
ready asserted the innocence OF Dreyfus
and the infamy of Esterhazy. and a grea
deal is expected of the manliness and
cEivalry of Wilhelm H. He is rsli sved from
any embarrassment in the premises by
the direct and impudent affr-nt put upon
him by Jouaust. For that creature indi-
vidualIy he could have no feeling but on ?
of contempt, but he is entitled 10 resent
insult at the hands of the presiding office
of tribunal representing French mill
tary justice, and apparently the whole
French army.
We are glad to observe that the public
opinion of all civilized peoples as voiced
in their leading press, is favorable to the
idea of boycotting the Paris Exposition. In
this country there is yet time to carry that
sentiment to the extent of preventing our
Government from participating in the bus
iness. Il will take organized anger to ac-
complish the object, because the Ad-
ministration is not capable Of sentimental
considerations. as its protection of Eagan.
and of the people who starved and poisoned
our soldiers in the Spanish war, sufficient
ly proves. But Mr.. Mckinley, at least.
would not care TO face a tidal wave Of
popular Indignation so near the time when
the hat for 1900 must be passed around,
and we feel confident that a movement to
withhold the Government exhibit intended
for Paris, TO discourage American attend
ance, and TO reduce our diplomatic repre-
sentation in France from an embassy to
consulate general. could not be safely op-
posed by the Republican syndicate now in
national control