What is the content of the editorial published in the paper? Why is this confusing to Scout? What is the significance of this? (Grace)

At the end of chapter 25, Mr. Underwood, the editor of the Maycomb Tribune, published an editorial. It said that Tom’s death had been like “the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children.” (Lee 323) When Scout first reads this article she is confused. She wonders why Mr. Underwood was so upset. Tom had had a trial, had been sent to jail and he had tried to escape. He was then shot, but she thought that that made sense because he was breaking the law by trying to escape. Scout then realizes that Tom Robinson's trial was, in fact, not fair at all. She understands that “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.”(Lee 323) No matter what, Tom Robinson was going to be found guilty just because he was black. Tom had not hurt anyone and he had even tried to help Mayella with jobs around the house. Killing Tom was like killing a mockingbird because mockingbirds just sing for people to enjoy and they do not harm anyone.  There is no good reason to kill a songbird and there was no good reason for killing Tom Robinson.