St. Paul daily globe., 1884-11-30
HOW 1T WORKS.
A Minneapolis Paper Quotes Strad-
dlebug Newspaper to Dispar-
age ST. Paul


The Minneapolis Pioneer Press, which Is
unfortunately printed in st. Paul, has been
making weak show of jealous loyalty TO st.
Paul, but only that it may the more pointedly
stab this city and secure a few subscribers at
a rival point. This policy is well illustrated
by the following comment OF the Minneapolis
Tribune few days ago. Notice the use the
Minneapolis paper makes Of the T. p. com
ments;
\ SIGNIFICANT CONTRAST.
TIE testimony which St. Paul newspaper
bore, yesterday morning, to the immeasur-
able superiority of the public schools OF Min
neapohs over those of its own city, was as
remarkable for the state OF facts It disclosed
in st. Paul rs for the frankness with which
it comp.imented the younger city. II this
antitLesis bad been presented In Miuncay-
Oils newspaper it might well have seemed
exaggerated to the reading public; but ap-
peanne as IT foes in ST. Paul paper which
rs Known to be jealous, almost to a fault OF
the honor and standing of its own city. the
contrast is necessarily much intensified. 1t
would DC casting gratutous and un merted
slur on the well known character of the St.
Paul Pioneer Press to intimate that 1t could
under any conceivable circumstances so for
get itself as to oyerstste the excellence Of
anything in Minneapolis, or unduy depre
cate anything in st. Paul. 1t is the charac-
ter of the witness which gives this remarka-
Die testimony its peculiar value.
AS TO the condition of our schools here In
Min neapolis, we are ali familiar with the
general facts; but perhaps we are too accus-
toned TO the pleasant places in winch our lot
has fallen to be sufficiently mindful that our
privileges are not enjoyed everywhere. Min
neapolis has had good schools as a matter Of
course. She has elected excellent school
boards because she would not have been
satisfied with any other; aud the school
boards have employed excellent superintend-
ents and teachers, and have built excellent
buildings, and have provided in the most
wise and enlightened manner for the school
accommodation Of p rapidly growing popu
lation, simply because they would have been
recreant and hlameworthy if they had done
otherwise. II is a duty which every commu-
nifty owes itself to have good elementary
schools; and nobody can ask praise for
doing merely his duty. But after ALL praise
is sweet. The st. Paul paper says that
our school buildings are '-admirably adapted"
to their purpose, and are "eXternaliy an or
nainent to the city," that our school board
'constitutes a body Of picked men in earnest
about the duties for which they are chosen,
quick to perceive and ready to supply the
public needs,' that they men who 'might
direct the affairs OF university without det-
riment TO its progress" that our superinten
dent is "a man of rare efficiency and organ
izing ability, whose recommendations are
supported 10y the board, faithfully and with
unauimity;' and that our schools and school
system ''are constant cause Of just public
pride, and have added immeasuraby to the
reputation OF the city and to its attractive
ness as a place of residence for intelligent
families.''
Our people here have known mparatively
little about the schools of ST. Paul, and are
sorry to learn the sad facts portrayed by the
representative organ of that city. In school
matters St. Paul has "beeu sadly and dis
gracefully left behind" In contrast with the
twenty-eght admirably adapted" buildings
in Minneapolis, ST. Paul has eighteen "barn- .
like structures and they are 'hideous de-
formities for the most part" People showing
visitors the city hurry by one of these school
buildings Gin the hope of avoiding the ex-
PLANTATION that it was not a reform school or
city lookup" 1t seems that the st. Paul
people have always preferred TO elect very
bad men for school directors. We would
hardly believe it possible that these men could
be so bad, on any other testimony than that
of the Pio,aeer Press. "St Paul has 6eea4
cursed 'oitiat all recent 0uniory By obstruction,
Incompetence and absolute ignorance ia the con-
duet Of its educational affairs. II has had
Succession Of school boards that ar0uid be a dis
grace to a tactory torn, some OF them 6oasting
members acbo actually could not read aud aorite''
As for the present board, "a large majority
of them are not fitted for the trust they
hold,'' having ''reither business ability nor
intelligence and, worst of all, they are
men ''against whom the mildest charge is
that they are incapable " This is indeed
deplorable state of affairs. A series of school
boards so bad that incapacity is the mildest
charge that can be urged against them, is
indeed a curse to city. Very much more
is said in the article, but it is all SD sad and
unpleasant, and reveals so profoundly shock
ing condition OF things in our ncighboring
city, that we must refrain from quoting any
further, and draw the veil, so to speak, right
here.