The Minneapolis journal., 1906-05-20
Hoot Mon

Attorney Whangdoode was just leaving his office
when l entered notebook in hand. The client had
escaped some hours before. Colonel Whangdoodle
glad to when I announced that
my intention was to interview him upon broad
court review.
81 glad you have Gomez he said. ri was
thinking about court review just before you in
One Of my clients Gas noted above Colonel Whang-
doodle has but one) recently recovered verdict of
$275 against soulless corporation. It was a just
verdict. In all my practice put in more work
on case (very likely not, this having been the
colopel's only case in thirty years.. Never have
consulted authorities briefed cause with
greater knew when I got that before
jury 1 should win 1 did win. But what did the
court do when the verdict returned2 His honor,
without rhyme reason, reviewed that verdict and
cut it down to $225.' ....
"And you lose your fee7'
Il "No not exactly that, but the outrageous conduct
Of prejudiced and ignorant judge so emasculated
the result of the jurys deiberaton that, sir, there
was nothing left for my poor client What do you
think of that for justice7"
"What do you suggest, Colonel Whangdoodle, as
remedy for these evils in judicial system9''
81 would have court review restricted sir, re-
stricted, CONSTRUCTED boaconstrcted would have
the judges limited to an inquiry whether plaintiff
got enough, and I would wipe away their arbitrary
power to decide whether he got too much Our courts
sir arrogating themselves altogether too much
power. They must be curbed they must be dealt with
by the legislature they must be regulated they
But could that the colonel who had risen from
his desk was about to assume his favorite jury pose
SO hastily withdrew"
Apropos of earthquakes the Boston Herald claims
that they act tonic tho it does recommend
the brand of medicine for general consumption. The
dull routine is broken and the system gets healthy
shoek.'' There to be something envening
about the air one breathes and after it is
experiences sensation of restored physical vigor,
accompanied by unwonted lucidty of mind. After
earthquake shock absent-minded have been
known to restore their social standing by capacity
to remember and faces most marvellous and
unexpected. People who borrow money spurred to
acknowledging the debt and almost to the very point
of paying it. Women remember where they laid away
the company pillow cases; children have
mental picture of the place where they last
"doly.'
Perhaps this after-earthquake effect accounts for
the tenacity of purpose and the cheerfuness of
Francisco after the shock. A newspaper writing
to eastern friend recently, said: IF you whimper
now, you do it in whisper YOU'D be proud of what
is left Of your dear old San Francisco She is full
of people without homes, jobs clothes; she is the
worst bunged-up town that ever was but the spirit
of her is enough to bring of pride to the eyes
of Americana The letter goes to tell how the
newspaper stuck their posts attempting to get
out an extra on the day of the quake. Beaten in
this first by lack of power, then by the advancing
flames they retreated to Oakland to get out
bined edition of all the morning papers. This par
ticular newspaper worked from Wednesday morn
ing to Friday night without cessation. In eighty
hours he slept three and when he did finally turn in
socks were stuck to my feet with blood.'' Probably
this newspaper scarcely exception to the
rule and very likely the newspaper men worked
harder more continuously than many others. They
all evidence of the energy that resides
in a human being in an emergency.
Speaking of sticking to your post, one of my
earliest newspaper experiences carrying election
returns for the Pioneer Press This in the election
of 1884, when Cleveland beat Blaine for president. 1
sent to South Minneapolis to bring in two
precincts arrived at the first polling booth at about
O'Clock and found the judges laying out their work
for the count. They thought they would finish about
3 O'Clock. This cheerful. Then 1 hiked to the
other precinct and found they likely get thru
at 5. Nothing to do but keep awake hours
while names were called off in droning voice. 1t
fine work. At O'Clock my first precinct seemed
to be good for four hours The other in
more backward state. At visited the Pioneer
Press office and reported the of affairs J.
Newton Mind, city editor. He sitting behind
fat-topped desk in the center of the room looking
the picture of dignity and calm When had made
my report he said "You know what you to do
and that is to 60 back to those precincts and bring
them in, this morning, this afternoon tomorrow
ing or tomorrow afternoon-Ony you are the man who
has been hired by the Pioneer Press to bring them
in'' At in the afternoon of Wednesday 1 arrived
with the returns complete Mr. Mind still sitting
behind that desk looking unruffed and serene. He
remained there until the last returns were in and
computed, about nine hours later and then he walked
home, not having slept or left his desk for thirty
hours. This the style of the old newspaper man.
He must do things but he must not appear to be
doing anything. An air of suppressed excitement
about newspaper office all right provided it was
solemnly suppressed
But while solemn secrecy may have animated the
mental equipment of j. Newton Mind in that election,
there was another in this city who made enough
noise to counterbalance the graveyard pail that
veloped the Pioneer Press The noisy individual
H. L. Gordon, poet ''lariat" and laundering
orator. 1t happened that the colonel who some
thing of plunger elections had put rather more
money Blaine than he cared to part with in
lump. The variousy estimated at from
$4,000 to $4,000 Whatever it was the colonel
was sorry he had bet it. But the colonel
of resources. He learned from the newspapers that
the returns from New York very close and that
that state pivotal The whole city was in
ferment of excitement Old line republicans did not
like to acknowledge that the party had suffered
defeat. They eager to hear from New York.
Sympathizing with the anxiety Colonel Gordon began
to give them exclusive Telegram from the
state republican chairman appeared positively claim
ing the state for Blaine Colonel Gordon drove about
downtown making speeches from his carriage. The
country saved. The "party of rebellion
not yet in the saddle Blaine elected and he