The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-06
FRANCE AND AMERICA.

IN The Call of April 3 and May II the decision OF
the question OF revision in the Dreyfus case by the
Court of Cessation and the grounds that rendered
it inevitable correctly anticipated. 1t is salts
factory observe the rehabilitation OF French justice
under the pressure of full investigation, urged not
merely by the French people, but from every quarter
Of the globe 1t is however, unnecessary at this time
further to discuss the probabilities of the future in
reference this remarkable persecution of appar
emily innocent man. who for than four years
has suffered martyrdom through the corruption OF the
general staff of the army OF France.
But in the history and present aspect OF the Drey-
fus there lesson for the United States The
demonstration OF the royaliss and their conederates
against President Loubet in which unfortunately the
American wife of French Count participated was a
significant evidence of the anomalous condition of a
republic in which church and are separated
and where orders of nobility yet survive. 1t may
have commanded the sympathy of American impe-
riasts, but it will receive the stern condemnation OF
American citizens who have not "outgrown their
constitution and reverted to the decayng types of
European government
The central interest in the drama, however, is that
the mass of the French citizens still possesses con-
science which, after it has been reused, is ire
sistble in its influence and that the absolute necessity
OF equality before the law and of the honest admins
tration of justice is comprehended within the Latin
republic as it ought to be and as will be in our
own country II the sentence against Dreyus had not
been annuled militarism would have celebrated a
triumph, but the people would have prepared for
oluton.
The corruptions in the management of the Panama
canal project were a long time before they reached
the surface in France, but when they clearly
dscerned and understood prompt and severe retrlbu-
ton followed. The occasional convictions OF munic-
pal boodlers in New ork OF small import COM
pared with the overwhelming OF French indgna-
ton that sent many OF their conspicuous states
men to destruction. Public opinion in France, unin-
formed and omented by racial and religious preju-
dces long failed to discern the cruel and despotic
combination from which Dreyfus suffered But truth
and justice were not to be permanently asphyxlated,
and when the infamous record was gradually opened
public scrutiny the virtue and the strength even OF
an imperfect democracy rested until revision
was proclaimed
Imperiastic tendencies in this republic of late have
been too prevalent. They will be restrained in due
time The most dangerous evils against which we
have to contend irregularities in the administra
ton of the law and saturated political corruption, Of
which the Huntington monopoly has furnished so
many irritating examples. The American people are
not mercuria. They live under republican insttu-
tions that are not unnaturally connected with an
hereditary aristocracy and under which complete
ligious liberty prevails. They the product of the
contributions OF the best elements of the Caucasian
race They aggressive, rapid and at the time
methodical and careful in business. Their confidence
in their civilization and in their Government has been
possibly extreme, and they have passively submitted
administrative routine that has largely fallen
under unwholesome influences
But population in the world is capable, when
the necessity for action is forced home ofssweepng
every form OF interference with the harmony with the
integrity and with the efficiency of their political sys-
tenn out of sight. The embalmed beef investigation
may have been solemn farce The expressions Of
railroad monopolies may have been weakly toer-
aed Our local plunderers may have speculated upon
the continuance OF civic apathy. But the indications
both sides OF the American republic point to an
upheava of the masses invested with the dignity and
with the power OF citizenship, and unless such dan
gerous cabals against rights liberties and our
property as are typihed by Mr.. Huntington take
speedy warning the educational example of France
will be an insignificant circumstance in comparison
with the hard experience which they will be sub
iected