Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-14
Copyright, Associated Press.)


bearings are shown in the arrest of Paul
Deroulede. the deputy and poet, and
Iwenty-three of his numerous Royalists
and Bonapartist allies, who have pooled
with him against the republic. AS in
the Boulangist conspiracy, the poor
would be of little consequence but for
the military caste. which has found
representative men in Gen. Negrier and
some other generals having great COM
mands.
1t is a strange thing how the fight
thickened around the shadowy and
temaciated red-haired Jew, whose uni
iform of an artillery captain so i'll fits
sand BELTS his figure and physiognomy.
Last Mondays sitting of the court
martial and the subsequent non-public
sittings were the first surprising opera
tions, but yesterday was field day
in which the
TWO HOSTILE FORCES
into which France is divided and has
since the revolution set themselves in
array of battle and drew the first blood.
Each side stands committed to GER
tain course and has burned it's ships.
The actual Dreyfus trial is trial of
strength. l cannot see possibility
of its ending in a drawn game. 1t is
now meek or nothing" combat, des-
perate fight in which neither side will
give in unless utterly routed.
The moral situation of the forces en-
gagged reminds one of that OF the armies
of the French revolution and those they
had to fight. The Dreyfusites have
the brains, the forward impulse, the
dash and the flexibiIity. 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 homoge-
nous.
The Nationalist have social and
other prestige, numbers and organiZa-
ton. Their center is composed OF the
majority of Frenchmen and French wo-
men; their left wing is formed of $4,000
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 INSCRIPTIONS as the
other, but the most active and less
numerous side does really fight for the
cause of humanity, justice and truth.
The Dreyfusites have, at any rate, won
of the friendly neutrality of the govern
ment. Their adversaries can no /nger
make use of the rope that hung Bickard,
or the razor that cut Henrys throat.
The Minister OF War could not il he
wanted to, read a forged document in
parliament. 1t is impossible now TO
stuff the dossier with fables fit for
Mother Goose's tale. But organization
numbers, prestige and wealth means
staying power.
Doubtless the Dreyfusites are sup
piled with Jewish funds without ac-
cepting NJ. De Freycinet's estimate OF
80 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
40 81 ffa he ~ avfcf
ic society. Many of them are frighten-
ed at
THE ONWARD PACE
of the Dreyfusites
Gen. Mercier's disposition was In
audible unless to the judges and short
hand reporters. It fell fiat, his voice
and delivery being bad. But we have
1t now in print II has qualities for
which we did not give II credit during
They are easy flowing state
ments. plausibiIity and the art of lull-
Ing suspicion. AS the deposition APP
pears in the full reports. it will every
where be read with delight by those
already persuaded that DreyfuS is a
traitor. They will not see that 1t was
what was of feline perfdy,
figurativedIy speaking, the deposition,
which was really speech for the pros
ecution. shows Mercier to be a fautist
Of the highest order. He never loses
his way in the most intricate variations
and keeps in view that Dreyfus Is a cool.
well informed traitor.
THE IMMEDIATE ISSUE
II the fight is the freedom OF Dreyfus,
but yesterdays incidents and episodes
are the beginning Of struggle Of far
consequence.
| must give the Nationalist credit
Tor having, from the very beginning,
ioreseen what revision would lead to.
They, in many things. show blindness.
They accepted the mailman Quesnay
lie Beaurepaire as their spokesman.
But they had keen instinct for the
Ultimate trend OF the rev.sionist move
nent
Dreyfus is generally unfortunate in