Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-02-07
ELECTIONS IN JAPAN.

ELEo lions ~ JAPAN.
A Politician OF That Country Tells Hov
They Are Conducted.
An enthusiastic observer Of the re-
cent political campaign work in this
city was Hon Y. Honda, q resident of
Hirosaki, a city of IS, 600 inhabitants
in Northern Japan.
Mr.. Honda is now on his way around
the world. He is just out o: politi-
cal Office. having served two terms, or
four years, as a member OF the Ken
Aomori. or Assembly, and was elected
by the people of his gun, or county.
In conversation with the writer Mr..
Honda said: II was here a week be-
fore election, and greatly enjoyed at
tending the meetings held by the va
rious political parties and beholding
the great street parades; also the de-
corum that pervades the precincts of
your polling-places. and likewise the
subsequent interest manifested during
the count and the reception of the
election news. With US in Japan there
is not so much demonstration. but
withal. a very great interest is taken
in our prefecture or ken elections for
members of the gun, or county as
semblies. Our country now has a
population of over $4,000. 1000. We
have a count made every year, and
there are forty-three provinces. called
procedures, or kens, in Japan. Each
ken has a kwai, or an assembly. like
your State Legislature. composed Of
members elected by the people resid-
ing in the guns or counties into which
the kens are divided.
"These several guns are entitled to
from eight to forty assembly guns. or
representatives, the number depend
ing on the population, no gun having
less than 80, 600 people. The kwai. or
assembly, holds an annual session,
limited to thirty days, and the business
discussed relates only to the assembly
districts. This, you see, smacks very
much of republican form of govern
ment very like your own. This sys-
tenn has been ours now for about ten
years. The earlier mode was for the
General Government to appoint Gov
ernor and Secretary to rule over each
ken. There are three prominent po-
litical parties in Japan-the Liberal.
Progressive and the Conservative. /
belong to the Progressive, which has
been in the ascendancy for some time
The Liberal, which is not far behind,
is considered too radical. In our coun-
try voters are obliged to have a prop
erty qualification amounting to land
tax of $40.
lin my gun there are 10000 people,
but not more than 10000 are voters.
This does not mean that the other Co.
600 are poor men by any means. for
many of them are rich merchants and
tradespeople, but they can't vote be-
cause they happen not to be land-own-
ers, and. therefore, do not pay the $40
land tax. Probably one-half of the
10000 are too poor to be voters. At
our elections the voting and counting
are done in the largest hall in each
gun and in the presence of every body
interested.
"About eight years ago the Mikado
promised the people that in the year
1890 he would accede to a largely OK
pressed wish on the part Of the peo-
pie and call for the election of Ma
tional Assembly, which. 1 presume,
will hereafter meet once year. Prep
arations for this National Assembly
and the building therefor are now
being made. The Radicals think that
this move will result in placing great
err power in the hands of the people,
but l very much doubt it. Last sum-
mer the Mikado appointed q privy
council to prepare national constitu-
ton for the coming assembly, and
this act, must confess, occasioned
considerable talk among the people.
many of whom think that this consti-
tuition ought not to be prepared by
the Mikado himself, but that he
ought to have called together a repre-
sentative general assembly for so i'm
portant q work.-San Francisco Er-
dnainer.
IN CASE OF FIRE.
A Description Of Chicsgo's Unrival ed
Electric Alarm System.
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