The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-20
THE .REEOLTM~JAPAN.,
What 1t IL All About--The State Of Affairs
hi In TINT Country g.

What 1t Is All About--The state Of Affairs
81. In that Country. q /
Those who have followed TIE course
OF affairs in Japan will not be surprised
to learn of the rising Of the Samurai, or
two sworded class. An outbreak of this
character has long been expected, and
did not find the imperial government
~unprepared. Tic incipient rebellion was
promptly subdned, Us we learn by the
dispatch which brought Jews Of the out
break, aud by still more recent dis
patches. The effect will, no doubt, be
to strengthen the hands Of the liberal
party, %popularize the imperial or ma
tional army, and consolidate the govern
ment. Some long talked OF radical re-
forms will now be introduced, and We
may confidently expect to see the doors
of the country thrown more widely open
to foreigners and foreign enterprise.
The japanese are, greatly in want OF
capital to develop their internal re-
sources.
The men who a few years ago effected
the Japanese revolution in the mikado's
name, and who now control the govern
ment of Japan, are among the ablest in
the country. They represent the popu-
lar or radical element, and have had
great experience in public affairs, as
councillors Of the former Daimios or feu-
dial princes. Under the old regime each
Daimio governed his feudal province
through o provincial council chosen
from among his retainers. This council
represented the best executive; judicial,
administrative and military talent in the
province. These councillors now gov
ern Japan on popular principles,
through imperial forms. Okubo, the
leading statesman of Japan, and actual
prime minister, like all those by whom
he is surrounded, was the councillor Of a
Daimio. Their policy is essentially
progressive.
The a~ristocratic or conservative party
is profoundly dissatisfied with this
policy. Shimadzu Saburo, the uncle Of
the young prince of Satsuma, leads the
opposition, and represents the danger
GUS class Of the late Samurai. The peo-
pie Of Satsuma swarm in the military
and civil offices of the government. On
the occasion of the Corean difficulty,
Shimadzu Saburo made o great speech
in the imperial council, urging immedi-
ate war with the Oores, openly avowing
that his chief reason in advocating this
policy WIS for the purpose Of giving CO
cupation to the Samurai. The govern
ment adopted a peaceful course, and
Shimadzu resigned from the council,
and eight general officers in the army,
all Satsuma men, resigned the same
night. The.army is chiefly Differed by
fellow clansmen of Shimadzu. These
events were at the time much comment
ed on by the press ofTokio. The RocM
@ina6un newspaper, which opposed the
war, had several very strong leaders on
the Corean difficulty, in which Shimad-
zu's speech was severely criticised.
Shimadzu obstinately opposed the edict
against officials having their heads
shaved. He was a member OF the coun-
Gil Of State when the government init
mated o desire that officials should wear
European dress. The next day he ap-
peared at the council with the hair on
the sides Of the scalp more firmly
gummed up than ever. While his col
leagues sat in high velvet chairs, he sat
on q mat, smoked his pipe, and was at!
tended by three coolies-one for his
mat, one for his pipe, and n to pull
ont over his feet the brocaded trousers
which train behind q Japanese gentle
man of the old noblesse. ~
The days Of old Japan are numbered.
The ancient traditions are fast dying
ont. The great feudal lords were shorn
Of all political power and nine.tenths of
their former incomes when the revolu-
ton was made. Oligarchy, aristocracy
and hereditary political power then re-
ceived a blow from which they cannot
recover. Thus the democratic element
has gained very much in Japan =; and
with the dissemination ct knowledge
and the emancipation Of the press, this
element is likely to increase in power
and. influence from now forward. The
pensions awarded to Daimios by the
Stste, when they were stripped OF their
provinces, amounted in the aggregate to
$14, 00G, 600, and form by far the
heaviest government disbursements. be-
ing half as much again as the military
expenditure, five times the cost of the
navy, and five times the interest On the
national debt. These great lords, the
%aristccrats of the land, ere in the enjoy
ment Of incomes which would be con-
sidered princely in any part Of the
world. The young prince Of Satsuma,
who is at the head Of the most powerful
of the clans, gets 1000. 600 O year.
There are some thirty Daimios receiving
pensions of over 800, 900 per annum
each. Some of these gentlemen spend
their time end money in foreign travel.
Several have established themselves
abroad. The e1-prince OF Hizen is
living in London with his family. He
is a member Of two London clubs, qnite
fond OF society, and mingles freely in
all the social and theatrical pleasures Of
the capital. he returned al income OF
SITS, 900 last year. The young gentle.
man who, but for the revolution, would
have been prince of Ava, is an under
graduate at Oxford. His income is re-
turned at 1926, 900 a year. The prince
of Kama enjoys a pension OF $4,5OO,OOO
per annun.
There is in Japan a strong party in
favor of reducing these pensions. As
the country is now organized, the voice
of the people has been able to make
itself heard in no uncertain tones on
this subject ; and a very strong pressure
is brought to bear upon Okuma, the
finance minister. Money is wanted in
every department of government. The
army, the navy, the post-offce, light
houses, and railroads require money to
keep them up to the required standard
of European efficiency. Trade is de-
creasing, exports { falling off, while
the growth of the silk trade in Italy and
this country is working serious injury to
Japan. Taxes are heavy, and immedi-
ate relief can only be obtained by q re-
duction Of the pensions, although the
pensions are liable to taxation, and the
income tax cut them down to the extent
of one-tenth last year. The people are
thoroughly democratic. "These pen
sioners," they say, edo nothing what
ever for the money they receive" The
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