The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-08-19

Dreyfus' Lawyer Shot.
Eennes, Aug. 1.-Two men am
pushed Maitre Labor, counsel for
Dreyfus. and one shot was fired, hit
ting Labor in the back. NJ. Labor fell
III the roadway. He is still alive.
Rennes. Aug. 1.-THE battle has be-
gun in earnest. Its political bearings
are shown in the arrest ofPaul de Rou-
lede, the deputy, and poet, and 23 of
his numerous rcyalist and Bonapar;ist
allies, who have pooled with him
against the republic. As in the Bou-
langist conspiracy, the pool would he
OF little consequence but for the mill
tary caste, which has found represent
alive men in Gen. De Negrier and some
other generals having greatcommands.
A tram Spectacle.
1t is a strange thing how the fight
thickened around the shadowy and
emaciated re-haired Jew, whose uni
form of an artillery captain so lifts
and BELTS his figure and physiognomy.
A Fight to the DEATH.
Last Mondays sitting of the court
martial and the subsequent non-pub-
lie sittings were the first diminishing
operations, but Saturday was a field
day, in which the two hostile forces
into which France is divided and has
been since the revolution, set them
selves in array of battle and drew the
first blood. Each side stands commit
ted to n certain course and has burned
its ships. The actual Dreyfus trial is
q trial of strength. / can not see 4
possibility of its ending in a drawn
game. 1t is now Il meek or nothing"
combat, Il desperate fight in which
neither side will give in unless utterly
routed.
The Forces Engaged.
The moral situation of the forces en-
gagged reminds One of the armies of
I1lC i iCNolubloI III tioSC 'ltN
had to fight. The Dreyfusites have the
brains, the forward impulse, the dash
and the fleXibility. At the same time
they are raw recruits, gathered spon-
taneously from the four points of the
compass. Hatred of the military caste,
and, it may be, the secret hope of re-
wards have made them homogeneous.
The n~ationalities have social and 9th
er prestige. numbers and organiza-
ton. Their centcr is composed of the
majority of Frenchmen and French
women. Their left wing is formed of
$4,000 officers and theirright wing CON
sists of the church.
Both Sides Without ScrupIes.
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 EU-
mainly, justice and truth. The Drcy-
fusites have, at any rate, won belliger-
ent rights, and they are sure of the
friendly neutrality of the government.
Their adversaries can no longer make
use of the rope hat hung Pickard, or
the razor that cut Henry's throat. The
minister of war could not, if he wanted
to, read a forged document in parlia-
ment. 1t is impossible now to stuff
the dossier with fables fit for Mother
Goose's tales. But organization, num-
bers, prestige and wealth means stay
ing power.
Dreyfusits' Financial Backing.
Doubtless the Dreyfusites are SUD-
piled with Jewish funds without ac-
cepting NJ. De Freycinet's estimate of
80, 600, 900 francs. The sums subscribed
by English and German Jews must be
enormous, but. like wealthy gentilcs.
rich Jews are fond of the pomp and
vanitics of life, the titles of a~ristocratia
society. Many of them are frightened
already at the onward pace of the
Dreyfusites.
Gen. Mcrcier's Deposition.
Gen. Mercier's deposition was inaudi-
BILE unless tc the judges and shorthand
reporters. 1t fell fiat. his voice and
delivery being bad. But we have it
now in print. 1t has qualities for which
we did not give it credit during deliv-
cry. They are easy, flowing state
ments. plausibility and the art of lull-
Ing suspicion. AS the deposition ap-
pears in full in the reports it will ev-
erywhere be read with delight by those
already persuaded that Dreyfus is a
traitor. They will not see what was
Pecksnifian: what was the feline per-
fidy. Figuratively speaking, the de
position, which was really n speech
for the prosecution, shows Mercier 10
be a casuist OF the highest order. He
never loses his way in the most intri-
cate variations and keeps in view that
Dreyfus IS n cool, calculating, we'll
Informed traitor.
Only tke beginning of the Struggle.
The immediate issue of the fight is
freedom of Dreyfus, but Saturdays m
cidents and episodes are the beginning
org struggle of f~ar-reaching conse-
queEce.
Forcseen by the Nationnlists.
I must give the n%ationalists credit
for having, from the very beginning,