The Dreyfus Verdict

The expected has happened and again Capt. Alfred. Dreyfus stands convicted of treason to his country This verdict was expected not because the evidence warranted it, but for the vindication, of the "honor of the French army." It is vindicated but at what a price. The world outside of France believes Dreyfus innocent and there was certainly no evidence establishing his guilt.
Our military men who are familiar with the evidence, having followed the case with the greatest carefulness, hold that his guilt was not established.
Able attorneys declare there was no evidence upon which to convict. The generals declared they had the most positive and incontrovertible evidence of his guilt, but they failed to produce it on the stand. They declared on their conscience that he was guilty, but the facts to substantiate the vehement and reiterated statement were not forthcoming. His guilt was not established and had the presumption that he was innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt been followed, he would have been acquitted.

The sentence is a strange one. Guilty but with extenuating circumstances. This is simply ludicrous. A traitor to his country, a man with treason in his soul, going studiously about his purpose, in a time of profound peace, while in no danger or want, devilishy scheming to betray his fatherland- where are the extenuating circumstances.
If Dreyfus is guilty as charged the punishment is wholly inadequate to the crime. The verdict smacks of a compromise. It is said, in fact, that three of the seven members of the court were at first for acquital but one was reclaimed by those who desired condemnation by the promise of the minimum punishment, the addition of extenuating circumstances and a request to the government to pardon Dreyfus.

But the end is not yet.
An appeal will of course be taken. There are pretty strong reasons for believing that the verdict of the court will never be carried out. The court of cassation has already shown its hand pretty clearly and the reappearance of the case there is likely to result in the prisoner going free. But of course this would not establish his innocense nor restore him to his rank in the army. The military chiefs, in all probability, have successfully bidden their own part in this monstrous conspiracy, and will now wash their hands of the whole affair. But they have saddled upon France a grevious burden.
The whole thing is a tragedy of injustice and it will appear upon the records of French civilization as a disgrace, and a sacrifice of human rights to French subserviency to military power.

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It is said the condemnation of Dreyfus is likely to have a serious effect on the world's exposition at Paris next year. Exhibitors are already cancelling their orders for space.

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Gov. Hazen S. Pingree has announced his intention of being present at the trust conference at Chicago, September 13 to 16. From his recent experience with Tom L. he ought to be able to evolve some points of interest to the general public if he only takes the right view of the matter.

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President McKinley's administration has been famous for commissions. Three have been Hawaiian commissions, Cuban commissions, Philippine commissions, Porto Rican commissions and others too numerous to mention. The most recent to be heard from is the Porto Rican insular commission. The commission was sent to familiarize themselves with conditions in the island and report the facts to the president. But when they arrived on the ground their heads were so swollen with their importance that they considered themselves the whole thing and proceeded to frame a code of laws for the island and to root out everything Spanish and make the people as strong Yankee born in minute.
They quarrelled among themselves and now the commission is a has been and the president is reported happy at having gotten rid of their services.