The times., 1899-08-30
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 80. 1899.
sim Greater Hone for Dre,fus.


II would be hard to imagine better re.
suits for the defence at Rennes than wer,
accomplished yesterday. The frank AM
sweeping testimony of Colonel Cordier
who succeeded Sandherr as chief OF the in
1eiiigence bureau, simply mopped the floor
clean OF anything left OF the case for the
prosecution, while the confrontations of
Mercier Maurel, Lauth and Others with
This merry and courageous witness. added
fresh load OF humiliation to the backs of
these eonspirators. The situation grew
into such palpable victory for Dreyfus
that even that persecuted and bounded vic
tin of rascality could enjoy the embarrass-
ment Of his enemies and slanderers and
actually laugh.
Everybody is asking: What is going to
happen aext?" The headquarters army
element is mad with rage and wild To find
some means OF escape from public dis
grace and punishment What it may at
tempt is hard to guess. but neither Maitra
Labor nor the Government is inclined To
lake any chances. The former has puI,ei
all possible strings to induce the Italian
military authorities TO break silence and
present the proofs, uneuestionably in the
War Office at Rome. which would clear
Dreyfus' skirts and brand the actual trail
tor or traitors. 1t is believed that a coup
dc theatre OF this kind has been arranged
bat the italian Ministry is only willing to
have 1t sprung in the event of certain
miscarriage OF justice without it.
This, We take it, is the big trunp card of
the defence. Its dominant yaIue is so
well known and the effect of lis pIav eo
terribly feared by the guilty generals and
their tools, that the mere terror il inspires
may check fresh scheme of fnfau1v which
otherwise, might be resorted to- Rut the,
something serious is in contemplation may
be gathered from the action of the Marouie
oe Galiifet, who has doubled the guards ali
over Rennes, has re-enforced the pen
darmes, and is quietly Strengthening
The garrison Exactly what this
may mean is matter for specula-
uon, but il has become evident
that the Government is we'll advised
oi what Is going on In the camp OF the
eonspirators. who. being traitors on gener-
al principles. need not be surprised if their
lumber includes one OF two who are doublv
10.
In this connection. the action of the
Cabinet in preparing to call the French
Senate together TO sit as a high court Of
Justice. IS an ominous sign to persons in
the situation OF MERCER Roget. Gonse. and
SaYaignac. The ostensible purpose is Ia
Try Deroulede and others implicated in
The emeute of a few days ago in Paris. on
a charge OF treason. There are reasons for
believing that at least one of the conspir-
ing and perjured generals viii have IN
appear at the Senate bar This probability
again makes for violent outbreak. If the
threatened element can engineer one Tte
power over the minds of the people how
ever. has been greatly broken by the force
of the ridicuie II has brought upon itself
1t Rennes. Mercier. for instance. Is no
longer an army idol. He has been laughed
sneered, and jeered cut Of court more than
once great. bold villain might retain
The alteration OF the profession. the rank
and file. and the epaulet- -worshipiag mob
The man who has been the object of public
nirth and contempt. never.
So the day dawns with far brighter pros-
poets for the cause Of truth and Justice
Again Loubet, Wsldeck- -Rosseau. and CALI
fet seem 10 be masters OF the situation. II
they can manage to prevent revolution
until the end of the trial. the chances
for Dreyfus could not be better