The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-24
LEADING EDITORIALS.
From Inc New YORK world.


cred prices. His argument, IN It, last
analysis. IL that anybody who reduces thu
prices Of commodities should be pardoned
for corrupting legislatures and destroying
competition by questionable and sometimes
by criminal devices, such as the STANDARD
OIL people and the Tobacco trust have
sometimes employed.
Now. first. 1t Is not truo that the trusts
have lowered prices, and nobody can show
even plausibly that 1t is true. The low
ering OF prices has been the result OF I'M
proved methods and machinery In produc
ton and distribution. The lowering would
have occurred in most instances even II
| the trusts lad been non xistent Second
| ly. In many cases--sugar during the last
| year as conspicuous example-7there has
| been no lowering Of prices. Thirdly, the
| argument, carried to It's logical conclusion,
would defend theft itself, because the thief
can sell at lower prices than the honest
merchant does. Or. as less extreme Illus
tration, 1t would hold IN defense Of the
| smuggler, for he certainly. II let alone.
| would reduce prices, even to the ruin OF
the legitimate importer.
The trusts are criminal conspiracies in
| their essence, in their conception and In
their methods OF procedure. Even II they
reduced the price OF all the necessaries OF
life, as they do not, 1t would still be i'm
polite to condone their crimes against NOR
atty and against the equal liberty OF all
citizens.
Price is not to be considered In COMPETE
tiun with liberty. Tho negro slave was
doubtless better fed than many O. FREQ
workman, but slavery was justly con-
demped nevertheless.
From the New York Journal.
THE ASSASSINATION CRAZE.---The
murder of Canovas seems to have stirred
up all tho fanatics, all the cranks and all
the unbalanced patriots OF Europe to ac-
tion Two bombs were exploded yesterday,
ono In the streets OF Paris and the other
In the Sultan's palace at Constantinople.
and ain attempt was made to blow up the
Ottoman bank. or course. with the threats
OF the anarchists against President Faure
fresh In the public mind, the Partisan ex-
plosion was Immediately identified as an
attempt oil the life OF the president, but
IL IL hard TO make the circumstances fit
that theory. Anarchists are not usually
very good marksmen and when they throw
explosives they often miss their intended
victims, but 1t would have to be sur
prlsingly awkward desperate, even for an
anarchist, that would set off his Internal
mechine in the street after the potentae
Tor whom he intended 1t had already taken
MS feparture In ID railroad train.
me alleged attempt ON the life OF the
sultan may or may not have been genuine.
Abdul Hamii has been practising assassi--
nation on wholesale scale so long that IL
would not surprising II his example should
be followed. 1t Is well known that he
has lived In abject terror for years. and
some have advanced the charitable theory
mat his atrocities have been the result nt
this blind fright. leading him to seek to
protect his own life at any cost OF suffer.
ing ana death to others. There may well
nave been serious attempt to revenge
upon his head the injuries he has inflicted
upon whole race. On the other hand, IL
WOULD not be at all surprising to And that
me wnoie story OF the murderous Armenian
and his deadly bomb had been invented to
lay the ground for another Armenin mas.
sacre Abdul Hamid Ia as craftily alert as
a mongoose. He knows that at this mo-
ment the rulers OF Europe are panic-strick
en- with fear of assassination, and inclined
10 look ieniently upon any excess OF Sc
verify employed In depressing plots against
the occupant OF throne. Europe might
not nave stood massacre few weeks
ago, out IL may now. That Is the sort NJ
calculation that would appeal powerfully to
the cunning mind OF the butcher of Yildiz
Kiosk W
From the London Spectator.
CANADA, ENGLAND AND rur
TREATlEs,-In giving notice to the gov
ernments OF Germany and Belgium that
the commercial treaties at present in force
between them and Great Britain will not
be renewed when they terminate next year
our own government has taken step which
is alike inevitable and Just. Those treat
les. as thee stood, were unquestionably
inlmical TO the interests OF the great Brit
Ism colony, which has just begun to adopt
a freer system of trade. Canada found
hefseit able to give to every country which
ADMIRED her goods on reciprocal terms
ver'aih special advantages. The two coun-
.iies most Immediately concerned were the
United States and ourselves. The United
states Were employed In framing low
exclusive tariff bill, one Of the objects az
winch was TO put economic pressure on
Canada, and therefore the benefits which
canada was ready to confer could not be
given to tho United States. Thanks to the
steady adherence OF England to free trade
policy. she has become immedlately
beneficiary OF Canada-at first by 12la per
cent general reduction OF duties, and after
ward by 20 per cent. The policy was I'M
questionahly wise from the Canadian point
OF view, since protection had been tried for
nearly twenty years, and had produced lis
'"'' ''opiV ieSuit IN tHe form OF narrowed
markets and highly artificial Industries
carrying ON precarfous existence. From
the English point Of view this new
Canadian liberal policy was also good. for
IL was a reward as II were for our steady
persistence In free trade. Canada and Eng
land are by this new policy bound more
closely together, and there is every reason
TO believe that each Will enjoy posltiy.
economic advantages. 1t is true that
Canadian population has not grown with
great rapidity, aud that consequently the
Canadian market is at present limited
one, But Canada's stationary population
has been one OF the results OF her unwIse
fiscal policy, and with expanded trade
apart altogether from the new mineral
riches, will come an cxpanse OF population.
so that the Canadian market may fairly be-
regarded as an expanding market Through
the more liberal tariff arrangements Of the
Laurier cabinet England. as direct re-
suit OF her free trade policy. will therefore
be the chief gamer.
From the Washington Post.
THE WORTH OF DoLLAR.-Tho,s
great metropolitan dailles. the Sun. Even