New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-04
THE JAPANESE PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

TIE JAPANESE PART
,s now the general conviction The wisdom OF the
project was doubted ny most foreieners-even those
who professod the highest opinion Of the chpaci'y
and intelligence Of the japanese people. The rap'
transitions from stage 81 national advancement
10 another during the first twenty years oi me
new regime wcre undoubtedly 50 striking. and -
unnecessarily executed that the civilized world looked
on not only with approval. but often with aston
shment at the spectacle But these ACHIEVEMENTS
remarkable az they appeared were not sufficient 10
warrant Implicit confidence in the practlcapllity OF
an elective Legislature. The masses were not pre-
pared for 50 radical a change and In fact hai
no desire for g. with commcnlable forethought me
Trainers OF The hazardOu. scheme guarded II by
cautious limitations. with the view OF preventing "
from working harm TO the country under any con
tlngencies. but II was impossible" Tor them u OIL
vine all the elements Of disturbance they were lei
ting loose Moreover. when an Institution Is not
needed and is indeed wholly Incompatible with the
degree of development AZ which community mas
arrived nothing can make !, really us"fu or D"h'-
fetal II Is that no results likely 10 be per
mancntly injurious have yet become apparent. b"t
the tendency IL distinctly dangerous. and II II not
too much 10 say that unless the original plan can
be carried out upon rational principles IMAM
have vet been applied. the experiment can be CON
tinued only at the risk OF imperlling some OF the
nations best interests
The co,lrs. Of the oiovernment-that Is - say. %
J the. Ministers OF Siaic-Iurng IN" formation ~
each successive Parliament has been exceedingly
difficult to comprehend II IL no, 20 %" suIlo"Ni
that they were from the beginning. Indifferent to
the proper fulnmcnt OF the work they had Initiated
vet their actions eviIenc" ~ solci'ld' ana
/ they Ola nothing toward providing that the com
plicated machinery they had set in motion should
be 50 employed as to justify It's creation. Except
On one or two occasions when their Interference
has been worse than iniudcious. their attitude has
been that OF passive contemplation II can be- con
clud,l only that their -faire policy proceeds
from deliberate calculation. and That th'lr abSt-
nonce from participation In al popular politlcal
movements Is dictated by what they consider an
administrative necessity. When they introduced this
great Innovation they took no step toward educat-
ing the people TO an understanding OF me uh"'h"i
privileges conferred and duties Imposed, Dat i"it
them free follow their own un'utorcd Instincts
or 10 accept such guidance as might be prof"rcd
from any quarter. They suffered the inexperienced
voters TO be taught FOR good or evil. 10y the first
comers and as almost inevitable consequence
the teaching was largely for evil The only persons
who besrrcd themselves 10 reap the hdVhntases
NJ the elective system were the crowd Of discon-
tented agtators. mainly ex ofic"holiers. who's" On
ereies had been devoted for years To IN" 'iSh "'
hamperng and harasslng the operations OF the GOV
ernment Before the Introduction OF me suffrage
tn. undlscipnel battalons Of IN" Opposition couii
make little h"adway, but with IN" new "r"'r "'
affairs their opportunity came. Their agents were
everywhere busy holding mass-mectings ana circu-
lating documents for the Manufacture or pubic
opinion and exciting the multitude by The wi'les'
Hctlors OF abuse against the men IN power "hhi
the Ministers looked calmly on. making no eSer-
lions To counteract the false Impressions dlsS"h
mated or TO stem the fast growing current OF SuS
! r,oIo, and hostility That they thus stood aloOf
with predetermined intention cannot be QUESTIONED
| but In the eyes OF dsin'erested spectators, /"
! was method there was madness IN J" "a',"s
/ launched their huge ship for the accommodation
/ OF the populace without supplying oihcerS ana
/ crew TO navigate It. or even the means OF ne'ehi
! tho q IN an extremity they could blame no one
| lint themselves when they saw 1t fan prey 10
pirates
. par,,ament chosen under the conditions which
naturally followed the Governments supinene's
could not well fail to represent many "I '"e WI
! Influences OF disaffecton and disorder u '"is. p,
! portion OF its members seemed ahn'a'eu ''''' oy
| ,ho deeire N uursue the Ministers OF State with
/ unceasing anmosIiy and TO iinpede inv GUS "
public business by frivolous or MALICIOUS '"'.'' ""
,ions IIere again the laissaz fare theory WIS III
! lowed TO rule and the gr0Ssest iap''''
passed by without confutation' ->".''"S w
srooking Of was done TO dlspel the u'Ius'o"S WIN
u,h,ch IN. leaders of the Opposition had Inspired
,bo,r dunes and the session went on us way III
cor,,,uous strife and ended with bitter feelings OF
u, will on all sides As time went on IL ~ alleged
that the Government apparently 'hu's'''S'" ~ ""-
dereo renewed vcxations. committee ,ne u'''''"o'
| able blunder- call II by no ii"''" nam "
sooktrg 70 interfere with one OF the e'ecuohs by IL
| ,,.," -. &c To what extent. or through
n,ha, aconcies This was done. will probably never
No known but the attempt aenaed the sympathy
Of many stanch supporters and' thoush ''e error
was not repeated. IT gave cause 'or V'o'"' AZ
,n ON re,,, and strong grounds With or with
o,, cause However the majority Of the Diet pushed
sorward reentlessly their campaign Of aggression
The most important branch OF business over "h,'h
,hv were entitled to exercise certain supervision
a, ,b,, Of IN. finances. but even here they might
~, ,,,,.1 IN case of need II they chose wantonly
70 prolong the debates upon the estimates or to
insist upon impracticable changes IN The ordrr oi
.,,,,,o avnenditure. they could be dispersed by a
-, dissolution and the budget OF the pre-
r..,,nr wear could be made operative without fur
thor legislation. This extreme measure was In fact
found necessary while the Parliamentary system
na ., in its infancy; but Its principal effect was
| " ,oraase the virulence Of the adverse sections
and stimulate them to fresh irregularities and Elk
ossses Although invested with no authority to deal