On Saturday last it was announced that the Standard, so
long and so honourably known as the organ of the Conserva- tive middle class, and lately as the only Unionist defender of Free-trade in the daily Press, had been purchased by Mr. C. A. Pearson, the chairman of the Executive Committee of the Tariff Reform League, who was distinguished by Mr. Chamberlain as the greatest " hustler " he had ever known. Mr. Pearson is also the founder and chief proprietor of the Daily Express, and controls the St. Tamer's Gazette and several provincial newspapers. It has been stated, but not officially, that the price paid for the Standard was £700,000; but there seems reason to believe that this is an exaggeration. We have not the slightest desire to impugn the right of Mr. Pearson and those who are acting with him to buy, or of the late proprietors to sell. It was, no doubt, a perfectly 'honour- able and square business transaction on both sides. At the same time, as we have set forth at length elsewhere, we cannot help deploring the change.
Previous page
