The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-07
FRENCH ANIFS EA|IES
One Fanatic Has Inspired the
Whole Crazy Gang.
POLITICS ON RACE LINES
Injecting Those Who Love to
Get Scared at Something
POLITICS ON RACE LINES


New York. Jan. 6-A contributor to the
Evening Post thus reviews the progress of
the present Anti-Semite craze in France
Anti-semitism has unquestionably, in the
past few years, made formidable progress
in France. and at the present moment plays
= considerable role in that country. It's
more recent manifestations are too sig'll-
ficent and diverse to permit us to smut our
ewes on this astounding fact, which hu-
initiates every liberal Frenchman. Anti
Semitisn has become a power, and mas
transformed itself into political party in
the very country which gave to the world
the Declaration of the Rights OF Man. IN
which it is said that all men are born free
and equal" the country which, century
ago. accorded citizenship TO Jews,and since
1881 has treated their religion as form OF
worship recognized by the state, and sal
aried its ministers equally with those OF
the Protestant and Catholic faith
Numerous facts, taken at random, snow
lfe DUSllFUH ShhACAlJ oNNH---~ 80
by this movement, which, fifteen years
ago, was unknown there, and which was
then talked about only as q for-oH epl-
demic raging in backward countries like
Russia, Rumania, Austria and Germany
II Will be enough to recall the part played
consciously or unconsciously, by anu-Sem-
itic prejudice at the very beginning OF the
Dreyfus affair, when officers VIGOROUSLY
anti-Semitic were first TO suspect the Jew
Dreyfus Of having written that bordereauN
which everybody knows today was written
by the good Christian Esterhazy, former
papal Zouave. We know, too, how this
prosecution, born of anti Semitism, gave
birth in turn to a new eruption OF anti
Semitic passion emitting in Paris that cry
Of the Middle Ages, Death to jews! On
the other hand, for the first time, in the
! general elections of May last, we saw
Deputies elected with the label of anti
| Semites, and in the Chamber the formation
of a group very feeble, no doubt, fifteen
at most styling Itself Anti-Semitic, and
which has already made hubbub out OF
proportion to its Importance.
A month ago the city Of Algiers. the capi-
| tai of our great African colony, ont salts
fed with having chosen as Deputy the
celebrated Drumont, who had failed OF
election in France, and with having been
! for a twelvemonth the scene of veritable
Jew-baitings, boycotting of Jewish traders,
street rows and encounters, elected as
Mayor a young agitator Of Italian origin,
Max Regis, scarcely twenty-five years old,
and whose sole claim TO the place was his
| having been one of the leaders of the
| gangs who shout, Death to the Jews!'
| This singular Mayor was no sooner elected
| than he declared n ewould make Algiers
! "1ninhabtable by Jews was not seditious,
and in his newspaper, the Anti-Juif or
ganized a special service unknown to the
| press of the entire world. It consisted IN
| the creation Of a Photographic outfit d.
! rected against the Christian women who
natronized Jewish dealers, in order to pub
fish their portraits and hold them up to
| The public. 1t must be added that the
| Government Immediately suspended this
bold and original magistrate for three
months. Finally. as the latest feature be-
trayng the violence Of anti-Semitic pas
| sion in Algeria, a large French liquor
house having a Jewish representative In
that country had to discharge him because
| its customers refused to give orders to
Jew. and a court denied the damages
! which the latter sought to claim from
| his employers.
These few details give an idea of the eI-
tent and violence of the movement. TIC
appreciate more thoroughly its character
one need only read the report Of an anti
| Semitic meeting in Paris or an extract
| from the Libre Parole or call to mind the
! savage passions that characterized the
| prosecutions of Zola. Not only did poor
| imbeciles or little street Arabs cry, ''Dowr
with the Jewsr' I remember when, ii
the course of the trial. in company with
some friends, made signs of approval o.
Labori's admirable speech. officers turned
furiously. saying, They are Jews"'
Now, whence springs the anti-Semit
movement. what are its causes and it
real importance? l think it easy to answer
these inquiries exactly and impartially
And first we must set one side the anti
Semitism of Algeria, which is peculiar L
that country, and has relations to specis
economic and political conditions. TIL
Jews. in fact. form in Algeria a population
scarcely assmilated, of usurers very IN
popular with the lower classes, and VIII
gained prsmaturely in 1870 the right o
suffrage. denied 10 native Mussulmans
But in France ant-Semitism is quite other
wise explainable, and only through N
Edouard Drumont. To understand il W
must know who NJ Drumont is.
Up to 1856 NJ. Drumont was absolutel
unknown TO the public a. large. He wa
an obscure Catholic Journalist, contribut
ing TO clerical journals like the Monde
which is read chiefly by chiefs by priest:
= Though graced with a certain literary an
: historic culture. and having published es
I Unable historical works of which one va
, crowned by the Academy. Drumont vese
D tateG poor and unknown. \ Partisan b
5 birth, he possessed by nature a raiIni
spirit. Bred in Catholic surroundings, an
= living in the world Of the clergy. he va
= at once devout and faHatical As sucl
r he naturely detested the republicans, wh'
9 nj the train Of Gamhet1a and Jules Fer!
: made war on clericalism. expelled II
= Jesuts. and secularized education. Tt
truth is. that D-umont hated with a sax
= = AsvRE GRAPE CREAM or TAsTAs PcweEs