New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-06
TOPICS IN PARIS.
ReopeniRg of DregfWs CaSe-Nez0
Humbert Revelations.
Especial to The Ne~-Torh Tribune by French caAle9

Especial TO The New-York Tribune by French Cable)
Copyright: 1908; BY The Tribune Association)
Paris, Dec. 5-Unless some unforeseen event
occurs. # is probable that the reopening Of the
Dreyfus affair will come up sooner than was gen.
orally expected, because the municipal elections
in Paris and throughout France, upon which the
fate Of the present Cabinet depends. are fixed
for the first Sunday in May. NJ. Combes is con-
sequently determined to have the Dreyfus bust
ness fully thrashed out and liquidated during the
winter months. so that party passion will have
had time to settle down before the spring cleo
tons. Meanwhile the Nationalist under the
lead of Cavaignac. MERCER and the anti-Sem-
itc press are once more striving to infame pub
lie feeling to a dangerous pitch against the
opening of the case at any cost for should Il
be proved now may be fairly anticipa ted
that certain documents upon which the Rennes
court martial based It's judgment should be
proved forgeries the proceedings of that trial
will be quashed by the Court Of Cessation.
Meanwhile those closest In touch with public
opinion express confidence that there is not the
slightest danger rnat the ror-ncoming reopening
Of the Dreyfus win cause an upheaval Of
the fury Of fanatic rioting that the mere name
OF Dreyfus evoked four years ago Dreyfus is
still an unsympathetic figure to the great masses
of the French people. he is, indeed to most
persons who have been Drought into contact with
him. but the people at large at last recognize
that II is unfair that he should continue TO be
the victim OF oppression and conspiracy The
public however. now that he is free and master
OF HIS own movements, refuse to see in the
former prisoner OF Devils Island a martyr. but
simply man who has right to have his char
acter cleared. and If rehabilitated TO resume his
position captain in the French army. Pub
lie feeling is Enthusiastically opposed 10 all at
tempts to bring the case into the political arena,
whether such efforts be made by Maftre LAX bort
Jean Jaures and the Socialists on one hand or
by NJ. Cavaignac. General MERCER and the Ma
tionalists and anti-Semities on the other II is
now clear that the masses Of the French people
viii not allow themselves to be unduly excited
over the opening Of the case, which viii be con-
Quoted on purely legal and technical grounds
That the Third Republic has at last found its
abiest hnancier is pretty clearly shown by the
debate In the Chamber on the budget on Thurs
day. when NJ. Rouvier. Finance Minister. stated
that for this year there was budget surplus
OF over Slo.oOoooO This is a highly creditabIe
performance In face OF the fact that the budget
deficits for 1901 and 1902 amounted To s47 O0o :
900 and that since 1880 the prodigality of the
republican Parliament has increased the purely
administrative expenses of the country by
100000. or something over 10 per cent. NJ
Rouvter has hammered away at the Deputies for
further economy, and sought TO secure an in
creased tax on coffee IN order to make both ends
meet for the year 1904.
He succeeded in getting his budget adopted
by the chamber by a vote of 479 against 81,
but the coffee men raised such a whirlwind of
opposition to his proposed increase Of the coffee
tax that the three million dollars he intended
10 derive from that source Will have to be OBJ
tanned by the issue of short treasury bonds.
much to the annoyance OF III Rouvier and of