The sun., 1899-08-14
ONE ENEMY OF FRANCE.
,,rL DEROULEDE'S AMBITION IS no
INCOME DICTI TOR.

a.. .Eitunlists-IncrenHo OF Lunacy In
Grcat Britain and Some of Its Causes.
,,,rox Aug. 81 a,a leaving to-day for
,a,r.s tn witness whnt it Ia to be hoped will
'',.y. the last act in the melodrama which has
,or the greatest disgrace to present day
.ty,,ot,pr The cable will have carried the
,,,rv wcll on toward n conclusion In all proba-
,uuv br'urr thi- .cttrr is printed. and 1t would
~ ,ooIisL 'Y rra,rrc any forecast OF tho de-
.s,onmeuts 10, @,aqt will doubtless be the most
,s,non, tria of 'hr century But 1t Is interest
and imi.r,au' 80 know something OF the
.,r,res influences which are still potent with
r,arch puhlic orinion. and which will help to
.,rIsin any extraordinary happening which
,nv ain arise to surprise and puzzle the outside
world
l, mus, ho borne in mind throughout the
nrey,us trial and its possible sequels that the
",tmosphrte" of France is still far from nor
r,ol II has been much purified during the
mat three or four months. Slowly. unwlingly.
r.rbops. pubiic opinion is changing. and chang
ing rr the better year ago believers in
Drcyfus's innocence were "outcasts"; to-day
.,tb.r cnnre.sedly or secretly. they probably
o,,,urhcr his drnounccrs But the greatest
;r,rroyrment in the situation is the fact that
r,ost pruplr are now amenable to reason. even
umlI Of urejuiice against the tortured victim
otiuIu-t,cc It is no slander to say that. aside
from the prcyfus case. the sense OF justice
among the French people as whole is not
strong The sense Of pity is weak also. An
outrage upon individual liberty. which would
orops. houndless Indignation and sincerest
srmrathy In America or England. will often
c,ps,. no more than shrug OF French shoul-
ders, It Is hardly fair. therefore. to apply
strictly the Anglo Saxon standards OF justice
In all a n
cose II she cancels the terrible crime COM
ritt.I in her name in 1894 ii Is about all that
cop ba cyI cctcd of her at tho present moment.
II sthlsweakness in French character which
ia sbeing taken advantage OF to-day with an in
eenuity that Is positively devlish in a last des-
rerate attempt to thwart In the Dreyfus case
,nIu,timntcly to overthrow the Republic. 1t is
an attempt so sodespcablc. so criminal and withal
40 pa'plHle that the possibility OF success
seems absurd in American or English eyes.
Its rromoturs are OF course unscrupulous
scogndrcls. but they are finding numerous sup
porters some OF whom are so destitute OF moral
rcumcn that they may be described as honest
dupns
II difficult 10 discuss with patience an agi-
tation based upon declarations that Dreyfus
must not be acquitted. because 1t will involve
the punishment OF great Generals and several
ex-Ministers; that the question Of the legality
Of Dreyfus's condemnation is secondary and
inconseruential; that the absence OF all evil
dence Of guilt will not suffice for his Just
acquittal: that he must be assumed guilty. un-
less his innocence is made as clear as the sun
by positive proof. Such in fact are the prnci-
pies which Paul DGroulGde is proclaimng day
and night in France. and Incredible as it may
seem he is finding followers VINO listen and ap-
plaud.
1t would be easiest to leave this man to the
contempt and loathing which his infancy m err
It's II is hardly possible to class him charitaby
with the type Of lunatic which ex-Judge de
Beaurepairc represents IDaroulede's inordinate
anpition has touch Of insanity in 1t per-
haps. but his appeals to passion. prejudice and
vice are too cleverly directed to the moral
weaknesses OF his countrymen' for them to be
th' products OF an irresponsible brain. His
real ambition. it is perfectly clear. is no less
than to become Dictator Of France. and to gain
his object he will scruple at nothing or
course he will fail. The touch OF insanity
which his inflated vanity represents is SUI
fclent guarantee Of his early COLLAPSE as a pop
uar oemagogue. But there are serious possi-
bilities OF mischief in this mans agitation
No appeal to race prejudice and false prin-
eipe in all the dark history OF the A6aire has
eQualled in per1dy and audacious insincerity
the harangue which he delivered to a great
throng OF apdauding sympathisers ono day
this week. | doubt. indeed. II the history OF
political agitations in the present generation
can produce a public utterance 10 infamous as
'hs quote the principal passages:
nder strong government and in a we'll
ordered State the Dreyfus affair would not
have arisen, or. II it had arisen. would have
been nipped in the bud Where the State
is strong, the Jew is weak: but, unfortunately
lorns' the Jew is strong under the weak Parlia'
mentary Republic. Moreover. twenty nine year,
OF political brokerage have thrown on the Paris
paVem"nts and scattered through France mil
lions ot mcrcenary souls.
have said. and repeat. that IL Dreyfus's
Innocence. in which I do not believe. was de-
monsratcd our six Ministers Of War and ou
fremers who have declared Dreyfus guilt!
WonId be the worst OF wretches. have said
ana repeat, that no punishment would b'
terrible enough for them. But l have said. ant
repeat. that that innocence must be unques
tohaDIy demonstrated. The nation. tormente'
'or three years. has never attached i'm portanc
except to two terms employed by General Bill
iot' quoted by NJ. Meline. and repeated to m
oy NJ hnnotau1-' Dreyfus has been Justly an
legally condemned Justly condemned-all lie
'' ~ 10 Hot uOW u lutsllOu VI puttih
legality and procedure In one scale and tn
tranquility and interest OF q whole nation Il
the other If there has been Injustice II tina
INJUSTICE is as clear as MONDAY. France. suffer
ing as she is and turned upside down as sh
Will De. ought to bear the penalty OF the crim
committed by her generals and Ministers. Yes
thls act Of lese- humanite has been accom-
pushed, the men OF our nation will have to as
PARDON OF the men Of Israel: but for that Grim
,ner" must be proofs conclusive. unquestiona
o'e. signal proofs. 1t is hot enough to com
ana tell us that possibly there was a mistake
Inc mistake must he demonstrated. There
NOT one accused. but two. and the first OF tn
accused is now France-France. her general
nor statesmen her entire political organize
uoh. AMI behind it, with few exceptions. ii
"ho!c srcIA! organism. tho whole people. B'
iofe condemning France to the punishment
jewish OPPRESSION before binding her hanc
win the cords Of infamy and making her 10
~" barefoot. with the halter about her nee
ohe caparlsonrd horse OF Capt. Dreyfus prov
~ US demonstrate TO us. that he is worthy
t'mouht II, or else lot him return to the deN
ron whom h" comes. and leave the FrenC
pe"p.o in peace
Whatever the Dreyfusards may write. a
'atorturer or a sectary. too have wol
n Soc A