The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-07-31

Washington, July 27.--In an interview
cabled from London to the New York
Herald, Mr.. James r. Keene. recognized
as the most fearless of the big financiers
of this country. gives an insight into
financial conditions that is not only inter-
esting but valuable. With characteristic
vigor he pays his respects to the trust
situation, has something to say on the
money question which will open the
eyes of many people. and incidentally
punctures a large hole in the much vaunt-
ed Mckinley prosperity.
If Mr.. Keene was a politician, his ut
terances would probably be derided by
Mark Hanna and his prosperity howlers
as the effort of a bad man to make capt.
tai against the great and good Mchih-
ley. but MIR. Keene Is a business man ald
he discusses existing conditions solely
from the business standpoint. lie lets
politics alone. except in so far as he In
dicates pretty clearly republican predilec-
tons He concludes his talk with the
statement that If Mckinley is elected,
the markets will fall; il Bryan is elected,
they will fall stir further" But he shows
his faith in the countrys ability to meet
either contingency, saying; The financial
condition OF the country IS sound because
the country is sound and the debt is
small"
MIR. Keene can not with propriety there
fore be called a pessimst. AS the Herald
in its editorial comment on the interview,
says: Chose who are engaged in ad-
yancing the prices Of securities just now
will characterize some OF his comments a 5
pessimistic. Cauuonary statements issued
at a time when The public has gone mad
and is buying worthless properties are
wholesome although resented even by the
inexperienced persons they are intended
to benefit; while deprecdtory remarks
at time Ike the present. after the pub
lie has been cleaned out. will chiefly at
feet the more or less professional speGu
lators who alone are now active in the
stock markets"
These remarks are directed particularly
at that portion Of Mr.. Keene's interview
in which he talks of the condition Of rail-
wav stocks While all he has 10 say IS
interesting. his comments on the trusts
and on the need Of more money are Of
most general value.
~
Speaking Of the trusts, Mr. Keene says:
In America today We may say two
hundred men control the manufacture
ing and prominent businesses OF the
country.
The great question today has come
to be that of money No independ-
ent man can go into business with1utH
the monopolists coming down aud
crushing him out. In this way T. has
come to De that he has a much better
chance in England. where monopoly
tyranny does not eXlst-or at all
events is not so strong
With a few men thus in control they
can fix wages and they can make it
so that money is either easy or tight,
as they choose. II any other man tries
to compete with them he Is simply
crushed. The result Is that today in
the United States there are no more
independent men except the farmers.
Always bear in mind as a fundamen-
tai principle when talking of the
prospects OF the United States, that
you must have good crcps as a sine
qua non for such alone maintain
traffic and on them depends the busl-
ness Of corpor3tion stocks. These
are the fundamental principles for the
prosperity OF the United States
Speaking further on trust conditions and
the possibility of the trusts reaching the
eXpeciauons. in a financial sense. of those
VINO have nut their money into their
stocks and securities Mr.. Keene said 10
his interviewer:
There never has been ANYTHING like
It in the world since the dlys OF the
South sea scheme. Every one in it