There hus been quite a small flutter of excitement in newspaperiand this week o: ing to the announcement that Mr. UC. Arthur Pearson. the well-known owner of the Daily Express" and other papers, has bought the "Standard," perhaps the most Conservative ofall the daily papers. It is sid that ite has paid Mr. James Johnstone no leas a sum than £700,000 purchase money; this does not, however, seem very extravagant prion as some years ago when a leading provincial paper changed "hands the coat of the deal was halt " million sterling, "ud in the present case the evening paper bearing the sane name is included in the transaction. The" Standard" has been practically the only Conservative morning paper of any note which has nos approved of Mr. Chatberlain's scheme of fiscal reform. Mr. Pearson is well known as one of its greatest advocates. Mr. Byron curtis, the "Standard's" editor, at once placed his resignation in Mr, Pearson's hands; 80 far his successor has not been appointed, but it seems practically certain that within fa very short time the paper will advocate the so-called new idea.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.