Life — December 8, 1898 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LLP E - OOR Picquart! Poor Dreyfus! Poor France! Not only America, Franco's long-time friend and admirer, but the world at large has in two (& short years been forced to the belief that France is = a degonorate of the dogenorates, and that French gullantry is no longer anything but an expression, In that brief period of histcry have occurred threo things which almost nullify centuries of glorious national life, Tho brutal and horrible cowardice shown by French gentlo- menat the Charity Bazaar firo in Paris, the similar cowardice and maltreat- ment of women shown in the Bourgogne disaster, and tho cowardly upmauliness and foul play shown by the French army and Franco's cringing government in the villainous persecution of Dreyfus and Picquart, are evidences of national decadence which disgust the world in general, and America in particular. Each in itself would bo a national dixgraco; taken together, they form a proof of race dogradation which mako us sorry for the benighted savages in Africa to whom France Is trying to introduco hor pecu- Har ideas of modern civilization. El Mahdi and his successor, compared with the present heads of the French army, were cul- tured and progressive gentlemen. It is not pleasant to seo an Individual going to tho devil, especially if the individual happens to beaformer friend. It is equally sad to seo an entire nation, for whom wo havo entertained feelings of admiration and friendship, doing the same thing. WORM'S-EYE VIEWS OF US. AT A RAILWAY STATION.