Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-20
The Pardon OF Ureyfus.


The pardon Of Captain Dreyfus 50
soon after a military tribunal had as
serted his guilt amid the indignant
protests Of the civilized world, does not
come in the nature of surprise. Such
action was the logical result of a trial
at which the innocence of the accused
was fully established by an over
whelming preponderancc of testimony.
There are some people who will be dis
posed to credit the view of Esterhazv,
whom it will be remembered, asserted
his belief, upon the announcement of
the verdict that the whole matter had
been carefully pre-arranged. TO APP
pease the army Dreyfus was to be con-
victed; to appcase the love of justice
among the masses, he was to be al
most Immediately pardoned., and thus
the French republic steering between
Scylla and .C'harybdis. emerge safely
from a situation that has shaken it to
the foundations, and threatened its
very existence. SuCn an arrangement
would not have been impossible in
France, and there are some things that
appear to give color to this view of the
situation. We prefer, however, to take
a more charitable view of the case. In
the first place we do not believe that a
man of President Loubet's known
a.. o. oh.
acter. would ever have been a party
to such a despicable compromise, and
again had such an arrangement been
consummated it would have been Il
virtual victory for the army. between
whom and the civil authorities the
lines have for some time past been
its worldwide interest largely from
the fact that it involved vastly more
than the mere question of the guilt or
innocence of Captain Dreyfus. 1t was
the broader and more menacing one of
whether France should rule the army
or the army rule France. Upon such
could not afford to compromise.
The commanding officers of thu
French army, led on by a few Jew
haters among their number made 4
sad mistake in the whole Drcyfus mat
ter, and one which they would have
been glad to have recalled when it was
too late. if such course had been pos
sibe without a sacrifice Of dignity and
1855 CT nrceti~a.' U.dcr suci circum-
stances they lacked the courage and
the honesty to do the straightforward
and manly thing. They determined To
employ all the power and resources at
their command in carrying through the
blunder to the bitter end. They have
done so with nominal success, but
virtual defeat. Dreyfus is free, and
the whole civilized world is voicing its
unutterable contempt for the treachery
French military establishment, which
is now known to be rotten to the core.
But how will Captain Dreyfus re-
ceive such a pardon? More than free
dom he has sought vindication. This
came to him in measure in the ''miti-
eating circumstances" which attached
to the verdict of treason. 1t was seen
that the weak officers of that tribunal
who had not the courage to brave III
the cause Of Justice, the frowns of their
military stiperiors. yet felt that some
thing should be done to soften the in
fanny of their verdict. 1t was virtual
confession of their own appreciation of
the injustice they had inflicted upon
brother officer.
And now Drcyfus has been pardoncd.
What a traverstyt Pardoned for a
crime he never was guilty of;
pardoned for : a crime another
has practically confessed 70 have
committed, He is free to come and 60
among men, but he must bear the Off
Cial brand of traitor. and he, and
those who are near and dear to him
must suffer all the odum that attaches
to it.
We can only hope that time. which
brings all things to light, may yet vim
dictate this unfortunate-and that ade-
quate punishment may some time be
melted out to those who have been re-
sponsibc for his martyrdom
The health of Augusta demands that
there should beng halfway measures
in dealing with contagious diseases.
This is a matter upon which there is 10
difference Of option among citizens,
who will be united in supporting the
health authorities in any and all meas
ures that may be necessary to pre-
serve the public Health.
Dom Paul would take vastly morC
satisfaction in his waiting game wer,
it not for the narrowing reflection thai