The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-01
Members of the Mikado'S Cabi-
net Were Finally Induced
Not to Retire.
ECHOES OF THE RECENT WAR.
Cholera Raging In Chinese Pro-
Vinces and the Attacks on Mis-
sionaries Continued.
Correspondence of The United Press.I

TOXIC, JAPAN, Aug. IA Cabinet
crisis was nearly precipitated in Japan on
August by political maneuver of excep-
tionally shrewd character. Two months
ago committee was appointed to investi-
gate the services of military and civil Off
Gals in connection with the war and to re-
port to the Emperor. In the natural Sc
Quence of events the recommendations of
this committee should have been submit
ted TO the Prime Minister before the SOW
ereign was invited to act upon them. But
some subtle politicians of the opposition
contrived by means not yet clear to have
the Premier kept in ignorance of what was
going forward, and one fine morning Count
Ito, summoned to court, found himself
raised to marquisate and decorated with
the Grand Order of Merit.
There would, of course, have been moth
ing extraordinary or inconvenient in the
bestowal of the highest possible honors
upon man who had deserved so well of
the state as Count Ito but the affair pre-
sented, nevertheless, one very embarras-
sing feature, namely, that the other decor
atoms and distinctions conferred by the
Emperor on the same occasion were all
in consideration of military or naval SER
vices, so that Count Ito was placed in the
invidious position of being the only civil
official distinguished by the sovereign.
Naturally, had such differentiation re-
ceived the Premier's Endorsement, disloy-
atty to his colleagues IN the Cabinet
notably to Viseount Mutsu, Minister of
State for foreign affairs, whose conduct of
the empires foreign relations throughout
the war evinced remarkable skill-would
have been the least of the offenses charge
able against Count Ito. Approaching the
situation at once he declined to complete
the formalities connected with the assump-
ton of marquisate, and having presented
a memorial to the Emperor praying his
Majesty to withdraw the honors, left the
capital and signified his intention of not
assuming his official duties until the ques-
ton should be settled.
To Western readers it will seem strange
that there should be any difficulty about
declining marduisate or a Grand Order of
Merit, but in Japan the sovereign's will is
sacrosanct, and from the moment that his
Majesty has conferred distinction its &C
ceptance becomes point of loyalty.
Thus, for moment, it seemed that the
opposition had brought about Cabinet
crisis. The Premier must either resign or
consent to become a Marquis; the EN-
peror must either take back an honor al
ready duly conferred or lose the services of
the man who enjoys his confidence more
than any one else in the country, and who
had steered Japan with consummate abil-
ity through her recent difficulties. But
Count Ito at last decided neither to en-
barrass his sovereign nor to play into the
hands of his political enemies. He &C
cepted the honors conferred on him, made
1t clear TO his colleagues that their claims
had his full recognition and resumed his
official duties.
The japanese have shipped about a thou
sand Chinese prisoners of war, to be ex-
changed for any prisoners held by the
Chinese, according to the terms of the Shi-
monoseki treaty, but have been surprised
to learn from Peking that only two of their
countrymen are in the hands of>the Chi
nese military authorities. These two men
are said to have been severely wounded in
the Lao Tung' Peninsula; but, if that be so,
no one understands how the Chinese. who,
in their precipitate flight from Liaotung
had to leave behind them many of their
own wounded, can have carried away two
disabled Japanese. According to Japa-
nese records about sixty soldiers are not
accounted for. Their bodies were not
found, nor could any trace of them be dis
covered. 1t was hoped that majority of
these men would have been found in the
hands of the Chinese after the war, but
they seem to have been disposed of in
manner that can be readily conceived.
The terms proposed by Japan for the
restoration of the Lao Tung Peninsula are
understood to be, first, the payment by
China of an indemnity amounting to about
&8, 000, 900; secondly, that the evacuation of
the peninsula shall take place pari passu
with the payment of the indemnity; and
thirdly, that the conclusion of the new
commercial treaty between the two en-
pires shall preeede the final evacuation.
Russia is urging some objections to the
last condition on the ground that it in
wolves an irrelevant affair. But Japan's
position is clear. From the moment that
she abandons Lao Tung, she virtually
ceases to have any means to bring pres
sure to bear upon China. 1t is true that
she still holds Wei-hai-wei, but owing to
the conciliatory spirit shown by the Japan
ese plenlpotentiaries at the peace conference
China, instead of having TO pay the whole
annual cost of the occupation of Wei-hai-
wei, namely, two million en-, became liable
FOR only five hundred thousand. She NAV.
therefore, Justly see no reason for haste in
terminating an arrangement three times
as costly to Japan as to herself, and from
that point of view may defer the conclu-
sion OF the commercial treaty Indefinitely.
With Japan at Port Arthur, Yingkow,
and Haicheng, lnconvenient demonstra-
tons might at any moment force China's
hand, but when the last Japanese soldier
has left Manchuria, China's opportunity
to procrastinate will be immensely i'm
proved. Hence Japan insists that the
commercial treaty, matter of vital i'm
portance to her large trade with the neigh
boring empire, shall be concluded before
shegives up her position of vantage. There
existed from the first. her statesmen say,
certain interdependence between the
various parts of the Shimonoseki treaty,
and an important section of it cannot be
separated without any regard to the fate Of
the remaining parts.
Cholera is committing terrible ravages in
the great city of Marking. At first only
the southern part of the town was affected,
but now the plagueis everywhere. Ali the
preventive measures dictated by modern
prophylactic science are totally neglected.
The proverbial filth of Chinese city reigns
supreme. Night soil from stricken quar-
tiers is carried to suburban gardens and
freely used to fertilize vegetables, some of
which are subsequently eaten raw. Heaven
alone is relied on to stretch forth help
ing arm, and in order to propitIate the
deities, lofty scaffoldings are erected in the
principal thoroughfares, supporting pavil-
ions wherein are affairs with lighted can
dies and smoking incense. A much adj
vertised method of cure is to take a copper
cash into the mouth. 1t is supposed to
melt at once, when it should be replaced