The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-25
TIE Unnsficill -" eel :"

TIE U1oaticil! g eel ~
The fur ction of the newspaper is .pri-
marty to gather news, and secondari,y
to make appropriate comment on it.
i These are it's uses, but, as public opin-
ion on men, measures and events is
formed on the news gathered and diff
fused by the papers, it long ago came
to pass that newspapers are also used.
Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether
they are using or being used, so a lroit
have those become who make use of
them for their own purposes, not, nee
essarily, identical with, public welfare
We all know how military. naval and
political regulations are made by those
who are adopts in using these veh cles
of inform alton. The Civil war brought
out number of what came to be call
ed newspaper generals" men who
cultivated the war correspondent and,
in return, were duly exploited by him
in his dispatches. Politicians posing
as statesmen also understand the value
to them of opportunity to use news
papers whose readers have not arrived
at that stage of wise discrimination
that enables them to distinguish be-
tween a working and worked news
paper.
Statesmen, also, charged with
weighty duties of administration. have
learned how to utilize the newspaper
in guiding the ship OF state to borrow
wearied phrase. If such a one has
some policy in course of incubation
the popularity of which he may doubt
it is of the utmost Importance to him
n tn hn
advance expression of opinion upon it
SO general as to entitle it to the ap-
peAatlon public" In a republic it is
also proper that the sovereigns be in
formed of intended policies. But. un-
der our form of administration. the
medium of communication is not Of
hcially supplied. The newspaper comes
In to fill this hiatus. The process is a
familiar one. The statesman calls in
the correspondent and outlines his
scheme. The latter understands his
part IN the play. He does not write his
paper that Secretary So-and-So in
tends doing this or that That would
be news, but it would not be diploma
cy He reports that he has it. ION the
authority of high official who with
holds his name from publication. = that
1t is Intended to do this or that. Forth
with the scheme becomes matter of
comment. The editors discuss If cIuh.
talk about it and the Constant Read
err and the observer" send in their
criticisms on it to their papers. The
chipping bureaus get orders from tho
nlgh official to send him all these va
rled comments, and thus he is enabled
ID form a fairly accurate Judgment
or the temper of the general mind and
ADOPT or drop his scheme as 1t shows
favorable or adverse preponderance.
ms use OF newspapers is a leeiti-
mate one and useful one. In minis
leridl governments it Is not so neces-
| sary' aithough frequently resorted 70
because tnere ministers communicate
lneir plans directly to parliament. in
WHICH they also sit and explain and
defend their measures. But in the in
tervals of propagation these "feelersn
are put out to ascertain how Some
measure will be received. So todo,,
the sagacious reader will read into ia
statement made by the customarv
nigh official" of the intention Of 49,
administration to take and perm.nant
~ hold Puerto Rico, the desire of tho
ana through the newspapers which will
ehaole MN TO judge the popularity of
Tue scheme and its probable support in
congress. Imperialism in our republic
IS not lmperious; it does not n,unoe
INTO expansions without first "feeline
The pubic pulse to ascertain how ra-
sponsive are it's pulsations.
N1a
Inc second year of the ventura of
the state in it's socialistic effort 70 IN
duce the production of beet sugar inds
us investment in about the Same CON
clifton 1T was last year. It is due 40
the conservatism of State Treasurer
koerner that the loss to the state dos
not involve the entire IS, 900 appronria+-
ed by the legislature Of 1895. Mr. Koer-
ner invested but $3.50 Of the appronri.
atlon IN seed, and at the close of tho
last Hscal year he reported the mr.
chase OF 27,4T pounds. Of this amount
IN spite OF the most assiduous boorn;ng
on the part of the promoters of refin.
cries who were after the 500 ton boun-
ty, to be paid by the state. onlv . oao
pounos were sold, and large portion
VI this was taken by merchants who
''-SN-S~ ~ encourage the GntGrDriSa n
other year has come and gone. The
held was we'll worked by the promot-
ers. A factory is said to be in process
OF completion somewhere near Mime
apolis. Farmers were diligently can
yassed to buy seed and raise heat,
| Now Mr.. Koerner reports that he has
disposed of 5S5 pounds Of seed this vear
and that he has still on hand a4s1a
| pounds. The only consolation offered
is his statement that "the seed will
keep" At the two-year rate of dis
| posal 1T Is very likely that Mr.. Koer.
ner is correct.
We take 1t for granted that the as.
| SCISSORS and auditor Of ST. Louis conn
ty and the state auditor and the mem
bers Of the board of equalization are
keeping an eye on the testimony offer
| ed by the Iron Range roads wit
nesses as to the value Of the properties
| Of that company, Two hundred o,a