What is near vs Minnesota about?

Answer 1

It was "freedom of the press" issue.

The US Supreme Court overturned two rulings by the Minnesota Supreme Court by ruling that the Public Nuisance Law of 1925 was unconstitutional, because it violated the Fourteenth Amendment.

For these reasons we hold the statute, so far as it authorized the proceedings in this action under clause (b) [723] of section one, to be an infringement of the liberty of the press guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. We should add that this decision rests upon the operation and effect of the statute, without regard to the question of the truth of the charges contained in the particular periodical. The fact that the public officers named in this case, and those associated with the charges of official dereliction, may be deemed to be impeccable cannot affect the conclusion that the statute imposes an unconstitutional restraint upon publication.