The record-union., 1899-09-17
Created a Great Impression Among
the German Masses.
The People Tremendously Shocked at the
Result Of the Rennes Trial.
Consider a Bitter Insult Was I'm
piled by the Total Disregard ON
the Part of the Court of the
Official "Reichsanzeiger's" Dec

| copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press)
| BERLIN, Sept. 16.-Though the Gov
ernment has taken pains to preserve
| its equilibrium, the result of the Drey'
fus trial has tremendously shocked the
German people, irrespective of creed
and politics. The bitter insult implied
by the total disregard upon the part
of the Rennes court of the official
"Reichsanzeigers declaration Of Drey-
fus innocence is deeply felt here. Ow-
! ing to the peculiar relations with
France, these sentiments have not
found full vent in the press, and the
Government organs have even done
their best to smother them. But in con-
versation the real feelings of the peo-
pie, indignant and almost in contempt,
are universally and freely expressed.
A small majority, composed of anti
Semites and some Agrarians and Con-
servatives, more or less approve the
sentence. The Hamburger Nachrich-
ten formerly the late Prince Bis
marcks organ, made itself their mouth
piece, asserting repeatedly that the evil
dence against Dreyfus this time was no
more than had previously been made
public, and that Dreyfus had been con.
victed not for spying for Germany, but
for Russia, citing a mass of alleged
evidence in support of this assertion
When those were disputed and ridi-
culed by the bulk Of the press, the
paper said the information was de-
rived from a source excluding all doubt
of it's authenticity and correctness, and
was corroborated by several competent
persons. This view was shared by Il
number of prominent papers, including
the "Deutsche Tages Zeitung, the
"Staatsburger Zeitung," and others.
The correspondent here of the Asso-
ciated Press has interviewed a prom
inent foreign official, who said:
THE Government was not surprised
at the conviction of Dreyfus. The
.Reichsanzeiger' publication was large
ly for the l1se Of depIving the
world of the chance of saying Dreyfus
had again been sentenced because Ger
many kept silent We postponed the
publication until the last moment, as
we suspected it might hurt rather than
benefit the accused
Regarding the comments of the
Hamburger Nachrichten,' we think It
is likely the paper is making the state
ments on good authority. Many WE'LL
informed persons believed Dreyfus had
Russia, and not Germany, to deal with
Concerning the talk of boycotting
the Paris Exposition, it is not Ger
many's part to put herself in the fore
ground in such a movement. The OIL
ciaI relations of France and Germany
have not suffered in the least through
the sentence. There is no intention on
the part of the Government to join in
any directly unfriendly steps against
France. The best proof that We do
not mean to suspend preparations Tor
the exposition is that the Chief Com
missioner. Herr Richter, has just start
ed for Paris"
This reported connection of Dreyfus
with Russia is also common talk in
diplomatic circles here, where it finds
credence 1t is also stated that evl-
dence of this was produced at the Sc
cret session at Rennes, and that Del
Casse's hurried visit to st. Petersburg
lust before the court-martial is cited
in support Of this theory.
On the question of joining in boy
colt. public opinion is divided. The big
majority favor active participation in
the exposition, while a number of leadA
ing and influential papers, like the
.'yossische Zeitung, "Frankfurter
Zeitung,'' and '"Tageblatt," advocate
absention. It is reported that a few
important firms and several CONNER
cial associations have declared their
,I0r l1x+ cn
far are the exception and not the rule
The Alsatian press this week dwells
upon the Emperor's Strasburg speech
in a. way showing that his majestys
advice to the clergy to keep good
friends with the empire has borne
fruit.
Samoa still greatly exercises the
press. The opinion seems to be unani-
NOUS that the new agreement, if 1t
comes in force, must be modified. At
the Foreign Office the officials are very
reticent regarding the matter. An Off
cial empowered to speak told the AsSo-
ciated Press correspondent that Baron
Speck Won Sternberg. the German Com
missioner who has been i'll at Samoa,
has been granted sick leave indefinite
w. The propositions submitted by the
commissioners are now being consid-
cred by the three governments, and it
is seriously hoped and expected that
all points at issue will be finally and
amicably adjusted.
The terrific transforms in the whole
eastern part of Southern Germany did
great damage. The temperature drop
ped almost to the freezing point in
many localities. Much snow fell in the
Bavarians Alps, and even in the val
leys. The Izer rose suddenly Munich
was overfiowed, and in the sports ex
hibition held on an island most of the
buildings were under water
The tone of the Agrarian and Conser-
vative press remains aggressive and
abusive of the Cabinet, particularly of
Prince Hohenlohe. The "Kruez Zeit-
ung." one of the most moderate of
these promises the Government a. lot
of trouble at the next legislative ses-
sion.
The reorganization of the artillery be.
gins to go into effect October 1st BY
the reorganization the number of field
/ artillery regiments is increased from
1 forty-eight to ninety-four the effective