The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-12
IN UP-ro-D4rE NEWsPAPEB.

IN UP-TO-DATE NEWSPAPER.
A newspaper is not supposed to be right
on all things all the time, Jut it is ex-
pected to be right on some things some
of the time Fake advertisement and fake
news are both liable to creep into the
columns of the best regulated sheets.
The foul fiends'' are apt to impose upon
the managing editor once in a while be
he ever so wary. But the editorial col
umns are supposed to be dedicated to the
expression of opinions, the discussion of
policies and to comments on incidents and
facts. The editor is supposed to be reas-
onably posted upon the subjects which he
! attempts to discuss The reader looks
to the editorial page for succinct state
ments of facts and logical conclusions
drawn therefrom. For suggestions on
important public matters and sometimes
for literary entertainment.
The editor, therefore, who attempts to
discuss a public question is supposed to
know his ground. These general remarks
are suggested by an editorial on Cuban
Claims in the Minneapolis Tribune of
the 18th inst. Here is the opening para
graph:
Cuban claims to the amount of $780,
U00OT have been filed before congress-
IheSe are claims of citizens of the
! destruction of life and property during
/ the Cuban instruction, assumed by the
! United States in the treaty of peace"
! Following this announcement the writer
quotes the seventh and the sixteenth
articles of the treaty of Paris, comment
ing upon them thusly:
Probably this must be understood to
refer to claims of foreigners. 1t NAV
| cover technically claims of American cit
/ lZens. but it cannot have been the inten-
tlon to leave claims like those of the
Maine rnr victims to be paid by the Cuban
might be argued that a Cuban govern
ment, succeeding to the sovereignty and
possessing the revenue of the island.
/ should assume at least a part of these
with other obligations of national indie
! pendenee. The question is not likely to
come UP practically. The advent of
Cuban government able and willing to
pay is too remote for consideration"
After this feeble attempt to mix the
two articles in confusion worse con-
founded, this erudite instructor of the
public relieves itself of the following
statement and suggestion:
The claims are, no doubt, excessive
! Ihat is always expected in such cases.
and the expectation is seldom disappoint-
| ed. They will be carefully examined and
! sitted by congress before payment. 1t
| may be thought wise TO refer them all
| to the court of claims, after establishing
some standard for compensation to the
| Maine sufferers and some general rule
/ Tor dealing with the property losses.
To further show the wide extent of
editorial knowledge the editor delved deep
into the historical lore of the court of
claims in this wise:
This court is very useful and i'm
| poftant tribunal, eSta bliShed after the
! Civil war to relieve congress of the labor
! of passing on claims against government.
| and to bring expert judicial knowledge
to bear on their examination. 1t consists
| of five judges of high character and at
tainment, and its decisions are final ex-
cept that appeal lies to the supreme
| court on questions of law. 1t has juris-
diction under the original act over ALL
Like all good dramatists, the writer of
this remarkable editorial left the climax
to the last. summoning up all his ac-
cumulated ignorance of the subject in
hand, he hurled it at the innocent heads
of the Tribune readers in words and
figures as follows Gas the lawyers say:
This seems a very proper tribunal to
pass on the Cuban war claims, with
| which congress has neither time nor spe-
cial legal knowledge to deal. The court
of claims commands public confidence
and reference to it would take these
claims out of the influence of political
| motive and beyond reach Of suspicion of
eXtravagaQce or Partially in settlement
Most if not all of these quoted state
ments are correct in the abstract, but
they have no relation to the subject I'M
der discussion, the Cuban claims. They
would fit in just as well in a. discussion
of the Chinese indemnity or the ransom
| of Miss Stone. They serve to show that
the editor of the Tribune had read some
thing about the court of claims, but that
is all. Not exactly ALL They show
| that, he was either asleep or had alb
jured the realm during the last session
OF congress, when an act was passed
creating the Spanish claims commission
to which all the claims covered by arti-
Gle seven of the Paris treaty were re-
ferred This act was approved March 2,
1901. 1t provided for five commissioners.
attorney general, clerk and assistants to
be appointed by the president. It was
given exclusive Jurisdiction over all these
Spanish claims, including those arising
out OF the Maine disaster and $4,000
was appropriated for the first years ex-
pense.
The president at once appointed the
commissioning and the other officers Of
the commission, the strenuous ex-