The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18

ten on the subject. Under the TUE Oh
lies Rois de la Republique," Tousseners
work, above mentioned, was dashed up
for popular consumption; and about the
time when Gen. Boulanger was coming
to the front 1889 there appeared book
called ia France Juive," written by
Edouard Drumont. la France Juive,
which, as an attack upon the chosen race,
has never been surpassed in virulence
and mendacity, created an uproar in some
political and financial circles, but it did
not at first make much impression on the
general public. Then came the Panama
scandals. however, millions Of money were
lost, the victims often being needy people;
helped by the circumstance that three or
four OF the principal culprits in those af-
fairs we're unquestionably Jews, and by
the reissue Of large portions Of La France
Juive' In lie Petit Journal, Drumont and
his writings achieved great notoriety.
A newspaper established by him, La Libre
Parole. became the recognized organ Of
anti-Semitism In Paris; and, as this journal
was financed by certain M Odelin, the
administrator OF a famous Jesuit school
in the Rue des Postes, one may conclude
that, at an early stage, some part at least
of the French clergy gave support to the
agitation. As time went by, the residue
OF the Boulangist party raised its head
to PROFOUND various theories Of nationalism,
militarism and anti-Parliamentarism to the
last Of which the Panama scandal lent
some force. For many years undoubtedly
the trend Of the masses had been toward
free thought, but the sentiments OF Ma
tionalsm and Chaupinism appealed to
many. The clergy had been striving to
win France back to the fold by such de-
vices as the Sacred Heart OF Jesus, the
Lourdes miracles and the money boxes
OF st. Antony; 1t was not great enough
to satisfy priestly aspirations. To all
appearances, there was not sufficient faith
left among the masses for supernatural
considerations to influence them in the
required degree. Only earthly matters
seemed to interest them and it followed
that these must be put to use. Thus the
clergy aided, abetted and finally slipped
into the Nationalist movement, which
seemed the one most likely to yield the
desired result
1t is not denied by the author OF this book,
because 1t is in truth notorious, that the
great bulk of Jewish influence had hitherto
been cast on the side of the Republic. So it
came to pass that, although the Freemasons
and the Professionals were also regarded
as enemies by the Clericals, it was felt
that they might be dealt with later, and
that the first thing, the principal thing,
was to destroy the power of the Jews.
The ground, then, was gradually prepared
for a campaign. Helped by the PAN
anna scandals, La Libre Parole. following
la France Juive, neglected no oppor-
tunity Of traducing the Jews generally.
After a time La Libre Parole was re-
enforced by another scurrilous organ,
LAni-JWf. The Nationalist journals
joined in the cutlery, pointing out that
many of the Jews domiciled in France
bore German names. and arguing that.
although they often asserted that they were
Alsatians, the assertion was usually lie.
In some instances it was alleged that they
conspired with foreign Jews, and it was.
at all events, pronounced certain that
they formed an imperium in imperio, cling
ing to their own kith and kin, theirparticular
rites and usages, and leading, as it were.
a lie apart from the rest Of the community.
Briefly. they were. so 1t was asserted, not
Frenchmen at all, and, therefore, not en-
titled to a Frenchmans rights.
Mr.. ViIetelly points out that, as a mat
domicied in Paris did not adhere strictly
to Jewish practices In the financial world
several prominent Jewish families had not
only become Catholics, but had contracted
matrimonial alliances with the French
aristocracy, while the whole tendency of
those who may be called Boulevardian
Jews-to wit, the members of the liberal
professions, authors, journalists, artists
i -. . la
intermingling with the bulk of the com
munity. In the biographer's opinion, in
deed, Paris, before the violent explosion of
anti-Semitism, was the city where one saw
most signs Of blending of the Jews with
the rest of the population-a slow and grad
ual blending no doubt, but evident to close
observers. This manifest tendency. how
ever, toward amalgamation was not taken
into account by the Clericals and the Ma
tionalist leaders in the campaign which they
carried on conformity. not perhaps. by
virtue Of any formal alliance, but because
both desired an effective war cry which
would appeal to popular passions and gain
them recruits. Mr.. Vizetelly's observations
have convinced him that. in the end. the
Nationalists, though they denied it, were
generally directed by the Engineers of the
Clerical party, who were men of much
greater shrewdness and ability than the
Derouledes, the Millevoies, the Haberts
and the Guerns and who contrived, in an
indirect way, to employ the Nationalist
movement for their own advantage. Both
parties had the same immediate object in
view-the destruction of such a Republic
as then exsted-and thus for time they
could work we'll together. The Clerical
leaders however. were resolved that what
ever might be the subsequent form of govern
ment. the real mastery should belong to
the Catholic Church.
II one would comprehend the violent out
break OF anti-Sernitism in France during
the last decade Of the nineteenth century,
it is needful also to recall that an over
whelming proportion of the officers in the
French army belonged to devout Catholic
families. The great majority Of these
officers, having been educated by eccle-
siastics, were without doubt prejudiced
against the young Jews whom the regula-
tons admitted among them. The preju-
dice, however, was not entirely religious;
it was also a racial and caste prejudice
among those who belonged more or less to
the old noblesse Strange to saw even