The evening times., 1899-09-12
Public Opinion.

Unless some enterprising individual, full
absinthe, should first bore a hole through
some vital organ of President Loubet we
feel reasonably certain that he will not lose
much time in ''pardoning" Captain Drey-
fus for a crime he never committed. and
thus endeavor to end an incident which, ii is
plain, still contains the seeds of much
trouble for France. The prisoner is TO be
spared the pain of a second public degrade
tion as, beyond question, the government
Will act upon the recommendation of the
cogrt-martial in that regard.
The prospects, then. are that Dreyfus
TO his rank in the army, that is lost to
him. If il were not he could not resume il
without living in an endless hell of ostra
cism, insult, and humiliation. Neither he
nor his friends need lament the fact that
his connection with a body as foul and
rotten as the French military establishment
is at an end. As to his vindication. that
has been achieved already by the vote of
the wfole civilized world against minority
of five perjured and contemplate little tools
of the liars forgers. and traitors, Roget
Gonse. Mercer, and their confederates. The
onlyAfurther interest necessary 10 take in
the victim of French injustice, is TO sup
port his cause until he is free and safely
out df the perfidous country he has served
honoTably and which has served him brutal
ly and fendishly.
His troubles. We trust. are nearly over
There is another court martial in progress
noE. France is the accused at the bar.
and. the enraged people of the United
States. Great Britain, Germany, Austro-
Hungary. Italy. and Russia are the
Judges The defence is unable to offer any
plea other than that of guilty" Indeed
it filed that plea at RenQes on Saturday
last. The tribunal wits to see what it
will do 10 mitigate its offence, and so re-
duce the penalty which certainly will be
Imposed.
To-. This view of the situation is beginning TO
dawn upon the government and all classes
in Paris. The spontaneous worldwide g
movement to boycott the Exposition of
1900 is casting a pail of alarm over the
French capital. Foreign states may not
desert the project officially. but the busi-
ness classes of all civilized countries and
the millions who purposed visiting the fair
are quite another consideration. Even of
fetal representation Will be without much
eclat, as far as America, England. and Ger
many are concerned, for public opinion
unless it changes radically in the mean
time, will resent governmental participa-
tion. 1t may even be doubted if Germany
and Italy will be in evidence at all France
has mortally affronted both nations,
through the miscreant Jouaust. and il
would take a great deal in the way CT
amende to wipe out the effects of that Of
fence.
The sentiment of the American people to-
day is largely and vindictively in favor of
the boycott. 1t is impossible that an out
rage upon humanity as diabolical as that
committed by the Dreyfus court martial
should not be resented by freemen. There
are signs that an organized movement
against the exposition. of continental pro-
portions, will be in active progress with
in the next ten days. 1t promis s 10 larry
force enough to compel Cong-es; to act.
After that Mr.. Mckinley may exercise mis-
veto power if he dare. The verdict of The
country viii have been regis cred, all The
same