Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-12
Dreyfus Acquitted!

Drayfus acquitted, France confesses her
shame. The highest court has formally an
nulled both OF his previous convictions and
thus wiped them off the record. leaving the
name Of the officer unstained. In the eyes
OF the law he Is as though never accused
In the eyes OF the unprecedented world he
Is one of the most grievously injured men
of modern history.
Thus ends a case that has now lasted
nearly twelve years, has caused violent
commissions in France has wrecked minis
tries. has threatened the stability of the
republic and has ruined many individual
careers. Its official record is immensely
voluminous. but even it is Incomplete, for
the trail of the iniquity leads far of the
track of ofiicialism into the fields of so
ciety. finance and politics. He who has
attempted to follow 1t in all its windings
and twistings ard variations has been bur
dened with a study more taxing than the
solving of the riddle of the sphinx. The
mere recital OF the case fills columns. An
adequate treatment OF its full effects fills
several large books.
II is Incorrect to say that the Dreyfus
case ends with the full acquittal of the
accused man and his complete rehabilita-
ton by the law. The monstrous iniquity
has touched many people and left SO
many wounds that it will be years before
France fully RECEIVERS from the effects Had
It not been for the acquittal now rendered
by the court France would never have been
restored to health However the case
might have been CLOSED over perhaps after
the death of Dreyfus, there would have re-
mained in the hearts of many Frenchmen
and a vast multitude of others a convic-
ton that the republic had failed in one Of
its vital essentials.
The Dreyfus case exposed many scoun-
drels and brought as many heroes into
the worlds view Where now are Patty du
Clam aid Esterhazy. and a long array of
wretched time-servers, liars, forgers, per-
Jurers? On the other SIDE lola Is dead.
I,abori and Piquart survive, commanding
the respect and admiration of a Justice
loving world. lola died before he could see
his great work completed. His was a serv-
Ice of inestimable value. not alone to
Dreyfus. but 10 France. When the murk
OF lies and intrigue seemed deepest. this
champion of the truth stood forth and
hurled his "Jaccuse'' weapon against the
ranks of the prosecutors. He dared much
for the sake OF the truth. He became for
the time the target of the bitterest at
Jacks Ills lie was IN peril. He suffered
exile But his example served to turn the
tide. With the full vIgor of his intrepid
nature and the full power of his trenchant
pen he attacked the conspirators and forced
a review. Had 1t not been for Zola Drey-
fus would probably have died on Devils
Island
II when the court of cessation, in conse-
quence of Zola's intervention ordered q re-
trial of the prisoner by court-martiaI the
government had insisted upon fair treat
mert Of the case an acquittaI would have
followed and the affair would have ended
then, in 1899 But the Rennes verdict was
merely another Item in the long record OF
outrages. Dreyfus was convicted in the
face o? positive proof that his accusers
were perjurers, and. in view of ''extenuat-
ing circumstances, he was condemned 10
serve only ten years. The anti-Jewish cabal
in the French army thought to compromise
The world cried aloud in Indignation and
contempt. The new president of France
loubet. pardoned the martyred officer But
even this act of mercy failed to satisfy the
lovers of truth.
Now the Dreyfus case itself has been
officially closed. Twelve years will have
elapsed in October next since the accusa-
ton was first lodged against the officer Of
selling government secrets to the German
government. They have been twelve OF the
worst years in French history.