The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-27
Will DREYFUs BE ACQUITTED {:

Has there been any evidence of import
ance against Dreyfus. which has not been
published in the newspapers Of this coun-
try? If there hasn't-and it is about GER
tain that there hasn't-it is difficult 10 see
any ground on which Dreyfus can be
found guilty. still, there is a feeling,
both in this country and in France, that
the chances are against his acquittal.
This feeling IS based upon the unfriendly
attitude of the members of the courtmar-
tal TO the counsel and witnesses Of Drey-
fuss upon the opportunity that has been
given to the witnesses for the prosecution
TO state their convictions as testimony, and
upon the readiness of the president of the
courtmartial to let the generals, who are
really the prosecutors, argue against
Dreyfus on the witness stand, as if they
were the paid advocates of the state.
There is another thing which looks unfav-
orable for Dreyfus. ! is that the mem
bers of the courtmartial and the generals
are together a great deal when the court
martial is not in session, and there APP
pears to be the most complete understand
ing and sympathy between them. The In
ference from this is that the members of
the courtmartial are under the influence
of the generals, and that they will accept
as evidence their assertions that Dreyfus
is guilty.
The fact that the court of cessation, the
highest court in France, declared that
Dreyfus did not write the bordereau, and
hence was not guilty of the charge pre-
ferred against him, is practically ignored
by the courtmartial. The court of cassa-
ton said that the only thing for the court
martial to do was to inquire whether
Dreyfus sent to foreign governments any
of the documents mentioned in the borde
reau. 1t has wholly neglected to obey
that instruction. 1t has permitted the
generals and others 10 swear that they
were convinced that Dreyfus wrote the
bordereau.
In this country or England the case
against Dreyfus would have been dis
missed long ago-that is, unless the eXis-
tence of an abnormal condition of affairs
blinded the people to all sense of justice.
Hence the conclusion is that the great
majority of the people of France are the
victims of some sort of mental disorder
which prevents them from seeing the
truth and demanding immediate justice to
Dreyfus, or else they are afraid that his
acquittal would be attended by disorders
which would threaten the existence of the
Republic, and are willing that one man
shall suffer unjustly rather than the
whole country shall be overwhelmed with
trouble
Still, they must see that the conviction
of an innocent man, through the efforts
of the generals of the army, is likely to
bring about a state of affairs more 10 be
dreaded than any that can arise from
Dreyfus' acquittal. His acquittal would
of course be a condemnation of the gem
erals, but what could result from such
condemnation that would be so disastrous
to the nation as the consciousness of hav-
ing acquiesced in the conviction and pun
ishment Of an innocent man?
Apprehension is expressed that there will
be troublous times in France whether
Dreyfus is convicted or acquitted. There
may be good grounds for this apprehen-
sion. but his conviction without evidence
would provoke a far more serious condi-
ton of affairs than it is possible for his
acquittal to produce.