The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-31
Changes in the Ministry Quite Like
ly to Preeipitate a Polit-
ical Crisis.
The Young Men Are Anxious for
Absolutely Free Party
Government.
Recall OF Count Ito to the Head OF the
Ministry-Other Important For
cign News.

YOKOHAMA, May 30.-[Special. For some
time past rumors have been prevalent in
Tokyo that change in tho ministry was
imminent. II was only owing to a sudden
and unexpected detection from tho ranks
of the rikken jiyuto (constitutionallib liberals)
that d crisis was averted in December last.
Happily for the peace and reputation OF
tho sountry, the maiden session of the dict
closed without an open and irreconcilable
breach between the cabinet and the peoples
representative. For such satisfactory H.
sue Count Yamagata, the minister presi-
dent of state, undoubtedly merits unstinted
credit. But with the successful plotting of
the ship of state through the first diet, the
man upon whom SO much has rested since
his return from Europe, apparently consid-
siders his principal task finished. The
fact OF Count Yamagata having resigned
was not generally known until few days
since, and it is now seen that reconstruc-
ton OF the government is unavoidable.
The crucial point lies In the selection of his
SUCCESSOR. Count Ito, the main author of
the constitution, is regarded as the only
man capable Of taking the post at the
present difficult turn of affairs. It is prob
able that his objection to accept Office will
be set aside out of difference to the en-
peror's will. Some critics seein Count Ito's
return to the chief position in the state,
ground for hopefulness, inasmuch as his
mastery of the details Of tho constitution
may be expected to enable him to devise an
escape from the dangers of the
present situation. The constitution,
rs is pretty we'll known, left
the government independent of tho
diet. Only in reference to the budget. and
then only to the extent OF certain expendi-
lures, Is the diet in a position to cosrce the
government. Such slate of affairs was
intolerable to numbers of the coming men
who aim at nothing less than party govern
nlent. Whether the country ia actually
ready for the step to this higher lung of
the constitutional ladder not few friendly
observers doubt. That government by
party is sooner or later inevitable is, how
over, clearly apparent. Exactly how it is
TO be brought about it is hard to foresee,
the government having for some time di-
rscted much of it's attention to the steady
discountenancing, If not repression, of the
growth OF political parties. And without
we'll organized political bodies, under tried
and influential heads, it would be hazardous
in the extreme to leave the executive at tho
mercy of a diet made up of men whose
familiarity with the work of parliamentary
institutions is scarcely year old. The ex-
citement caused by Count Yamagata's resig-
nation, and by the knowledge that the en-
peror has summoned Count Ito to the pal
ace from Kioto, is the result in no small
measure of the publie's acquaintance of the
true cause of the crisis, viz: tho necessity
of ooncedine responsible government. That
there are personal interests at work also is
of course true, but, they are feature,
not an underlying cause of the situation.
Some of the Tokyo journals speak of the
retirement of Count Saigo, home minister;
Count Yamada, minister of state for iustce
Count Oyama, minister of war and Wis
count Aok. minister of foreign affairs, as
certain to follow upon Count Ito's assump-
tion of Office. The ultimate outcome is
awaited with deep interest.