Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1899-09-15
pRoposED poYcorr.

State expresses the opinions OF the
INDEPENDENT on the proposed boy
cotting OF the Paris Exposition, on
account Of the convictiUo OF Dreyfus:
@In France, Saturday, OF seven
army officers who had listened to the
testimony for and against Dreyfus,
noted the appearance OF the witnesses,
read the documents in the case, and
heard the arguments pro and con.
five declared the prisoner to be
guilty. or the miscellaneous millions
who read the newspaper reports OF
the proceedings, probably ninety
nine out OF u hundred are Of the
opinion that the condemned Is an in
nocent man. That ID their opinion.
Durrant stretched rope in California
because he had been declared guilty
OF murder by II competent court.
Hundreds, however. will always be-
lieve in his innocence, and that he
was the victim Of yellow journalism.
That is their opinion. They are rs
welcome to it rs are those who be-
lieve in the innocence Of Dreyfus.
ain France there are millions who
believe that Dreyfus is guilty rs
charged. There are more millions
who believe in his innocence. We
have proof of this from the tone OF
the French press, and the express
sions OF individual Freucbmen. 1t
is apparent from the view taken at a
distance OF thousands of miles TINT
many more millions Of Frenchmen
believe him to be innocent than there
are who believe him guilty. Certain
it is that the civil courts are not pre-
JUDGED against him; and rs certain
is it that the present Administration
has done all in its power to secure
him a fair trial.
In view Of this, the clamor that has
gone up against the French nation
and the French because OF the con-
viction OF Dreyfus is absurd. Adj
United that Dreyfus is innocent, the
French people, whose representatives
have been instrumental i'll securing
for him the fairest trial possible
under the circumstances. cannot
reasonably be blamed. When it is
proposed to make them and the
French nation suffer for the verdict
rendered by five officers Of the French
army, the absurdity becomes about
as near perfect as emotional asses can
make it. This, however, is proposed
by prominent men on both sides OF
the Atlantic. The injury to the
French is 10 be worked by a boycott
OF the Paris Exposition.
Germany has semi.oticially de-
clared that since Dreyfus has been
declared guilty she has lost all inter.
est in the exposition. In u word
Germany wanted Dreyfus declared
guiltless. Since he vas not she will do
her crazy best to make France suffer
for it. II has been claimed in France
that Dreyfus has been in the pay OF
Germany. Could Frenchmen who
believe this want any more earnest
proof OF its truth than Germany's an
ger now that he has been convicted?
1t Is bad for Dreyfus that Germany
takes such an interest i'll his case.
-The absurdity grows when Con-
gresham Levy Of New York declares
that, owing to the conviction OF Drey.
fus, he proposes introducing resolu-
tons in Congress declaring n boy colt
on the Paris Exposition. Such q
course would be rs un-American as
one could imagine, America has no
right to punish all France for an I'M
just verdict OF a French court mar.
tial. 1t strikes us that America has
n verdict quite as unjust, admitting |
the innocence OF Drcyfus, which is
even now perplexing the military au.
thorities. German history is not free
OF them, nor the history OF England.
In fact it would be Il remarkable
country whose courts had not Mt ono
time or another, done injustice to in
dividual citizens.
~ boycott OF the Paris Exhibition
then, because OF the conviction OF
Dreyfus, is entirely unreasonable,
without cause, uncalled for