The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
EXILED MINNES0TANS
GATHER AT THE TABLE
Continued from the Eighth Page.

Continued from Lnc EIAnItl TaSS'
Whiteaw Reds great newspaper, and
promptly clipped it, and virtuously cred
tied 1t to the New York paper to whose
name we had paid tribute In adopting our
own The thing was accidental, Of course,
in both offices, but 1t was an illustration
of the vigilance necessary in the conduct
of the daily press For my part after
good deal of experience and observation,
may say that my wonder grows that there
are as few mistakes made as there are in
the making of newspapers.
II remember another incident that IL
Illustrated somewhat the diversity of the
constituents to which our twin city news
papers appealed. 1t was the occasion
when Mr.. Gladstone had reached the very
climax Of his career-his great speech on
the Introduction of his home rule bill. He
made this speech too late at night for the
London press, but by virtue OF our being
some six hours later than London time,
we received the speech in full by Asso-
clated Press at what for us was a COM
paratlVely early hour in the evening.
From my point of view, it was our oppor-
tun1ty TO make a great spread of what
was bound to go down into history as one
OF the great moments in rational and
international politics But 1t also hap
pened that there was a great local event
going ON in Minneapolis that night. and
II my memory does not fail me- that event
was nothing less than the prize fight In
which John l.. Sullivan broke his arm In
an encounter with Patsy Cardiff. Our Of
fees were almost absolutely deserted for
some mysterious reason. I sat there, how
ever writing a column editorial on Mr.
Gladstones great speech. reading the
flinsy sheets Of the Oratorical document
as the thing came over the wire. Our
city editor had gone to the fight with al
most the whole office, and our teleera nh
editor, who was a sporting connoisseur,
was sour because he could not get away.
Against my protest, the telegra ph editor
ana the city editor cut the Rt. Hon. Will
nam T. GLADSTONE to q Stickful or two in
order to give about two pages to the Sui
lVan night. And l am deeply afraid that,
judged merely by the test of numbers.
their editorial instinct was more ACCEPT
able to our readers the next morning than
mine had been.
Municipal Problems.
For young man seriously interested
m the problems of civiliza ton and So
etal progress. no communities could have
been more instructive. It fell to NV lot
IN later years to study quite thoroughly
the municipal government and the CON
ditions Of city life in almost all the chief
cities and towns Of Great Britain, France
Germany and other parts Of Europe; and
what l was able to write about these
world towns and their new experi-
nents In government and their municipal
development seemed TO be found intel
hg1ble and fairly useful to our American
readers for whom those chapters were
htendSd but this was due altosether to
the 1act that, as a newspaper man and
q citizen, l had enjoyed the ADVANTAGES
lot some years of seeing several western
Extraordinarily Minneapolis and St.
Paul-in what I may call their creative
periods. There were no problems-engi-
neering, financial, political, moral or ad-
minlstrative-that we did not have tc
face in those enterprising northwestern
towns.
We knew what it was to make and
Temake municipal charters. We knew
what 1T was to have wide open admins
tsrations under Doc An1es and exactly the
opposite under mayors like George A
Plllsbury. We applied more perfectly
mere than elsewhere the principle of bet
terment. and were able to create parks
boulevards and public improvements on
the plan of special assessments levied on
benefited property. We were develop.
ing in the state young university and an
Agricultural college, and were co-ordinat-
ing the high schools throughout the com
nonwealth with the higher education CT
the institution at the top Of the system
we were dealing in the most enlightened
and up-to date way with the problems o.
puDl1c cnarltY. We had aSylumS to builC
for the insane and we learned how to dt
these things best. We were at a period
when we enjoyed exceptional prosperity
rs we'll as uncommon intelligence and en-
thustasm We had in the state, however
O. considerable group Of older men of dis
tinction and prestige. whose judgmen
served as sort Of balance wheel a.
against the superintendent vim Of th
younger and newer men. In St. Paul espe
cially there was group of elderly men o
much political and business and .finan
cial experience; and here and Their
throughout the state there stood on
prominently strong leaders and thinker
IN politics like Gordon E. Cole and vii
Ham Window, q I'd In education and tn
church men like Bishop Whipple Of Fari
hault.
I'm Minneapolis one found a stron
group Of older men Of ample means, wild
experience and great public spirit, VIII
were able to sink party differences an
personal ambitions and promote public en-
terprises These were men who create
the Minneapolis exposition; who Joine
hands with the city in erecting the spler
did public library; who, like Governor job
&. Pillsbury, the father of the uniyersit,
did great service for education; or Ik
Charles M. Loring, and Professor Folwel
gave many years of devoted and unse|fs