Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-21
A STUDENT FROM JAPAN.
Looking Up Parliamentary Laws and
Procedures for His Country.

A Boston special to the New York Times says:
The leader Of the new embassy, Kentara
Kaneko, which was commissioned by the en-
peror to prepare for the opening Of the first
Japanese parliament in November, 1880, il visit
ing Boston for Q few days. He ia q graduate
Of Harvard, Is thoroughly versed in parlia-
msntary law and the procedure Of European
countries, and ID the leading authority on
ancient and Japanese law. To q Times reporter
Mr.. Kaneko gave this story of his mission, and
in q general way outlined the future policy Of
the government of Japan:
MY mission as commissioner appointed by
the japanese government is to investigate and
study the parliamentary practice OF Europe and
America, and especially to prepare myself to
become chief secretary of parliament next year
Inc organization OF parliament is already
established by constitution. We have a consti-
tuition promulgated last February. Connected
with the constitution are the constitutional
laws, which were also promulgated in the same
month. But the internal organization Of both
houses, namely, the officers Of both houses and
the duties assigned to each official and his
salary, also the raies Of procedure, Of debate,
and OF the passing Of bills are now settled
under the constitution or by constitutional law.
Therefore the government appointed me
commissioner general with four subordinate
commissioners to visit America and Europe to
study and especially to fit myself for work next
year. The plan Is TO 90 to London from here
as early as possible, and there will make my
headquarters. Two of my subordinate COM
missioners, who are French scholars, will be in
Paris studying the French system of parlia-
mentary procedure, and afterward they may
90 TO Belgium and study that system.
1.-THE other two commissioners, who are En-
glish scholars, will live with me in London.
We will attend the English parliament and
study that system. When We get through We
will 60 to France and meet the commissioners
who are already there, and one party will 60 to
Berlin to see something OF the German sys-
tenn, then to Vienna, then to Italy, to study
those systemA We may 60 to st. Petersburg.
Then We will return TO London aud stay
there some time, comparing the systems of
Europe and studying more about the English
pool to Boston next April or May and stay in
Boston few weeks, seeing the Bostonians, and
also going to visit the Cambridge people. Then
we will go to Washington to study the Ameri-
can system of legislative assemblies.
I'VE will then start for japan either by way
OF San Francisco or across by the Indian ocean.
We must be back by July or August Of 1880 in
order to prepare for the opening Of parliament
in November. The elections will take place,
according to the election law, the July before
we get home. Ny people were very glad when
the constitution was promulgated and in the
interval they have been making preparations to
elect the best men they can for the opening of
parliament.
This parliament will sit in Toxic, where a
temporary building has been secured. think,
TO anyone who understands constitutional law,
our country will be worth visiting, to see how
nation miles away from the seat Of American
and European civilization can be ruled by con-
stitutional law and live in the spirit Of the con-
stitution,"