The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-12

the surrender of one war ship. Put
poor Ting's body on board and take
her out of port to CheefOo." No war
in Europe shows a more gallant act.
Now, the Japanese statesmen are
asking each other, where do we stand
The war was made for the indepen-
dence of Corea. But Corea Is so rotten
and corrupt she can't stand alone, and
is at the mercy of adventures. If she
can't take care of herself, who shall be
her nurse, her sponsor, her protector
Japan has agreed to let her stand
alone, and she can't stand alone.
Moreover, in whipping China, Japan
has, most uexpectedly, let Russia
come down to the warm waters OF the
Pacific. She did not intend it. But
Russia cannot be ignored. 1t Is said,
with authority, that the Japanese
statesmen intended, after peace with
China, to satisfy Russia, and even let
her into Corea, but the Russians in
terfered before she could do it. The
japanese daily papers are discussing
the situation earnestly, and with
much force. The sudden interference
of three European powers, in the
Chinese matter, dissipated the swag-
ger of the war party which, at one
time, proposed to measure swords with
the world. Some papers favor an
alliance with England, but are not
quite sure that England cares about
an alliance. Other papers favor an
alliance with Russia, in spite OF the
humiliation she has caused her. Elf
China should get on her feet she will
be four hundred millions strong
against our little forty-two Millions"
they say. "Better put Russia be-
tween us as buffer"
Nor can the diplomats agree as to
what will be the future of China. But
all agree that something Is going to
happen before long, and that there
will be more trouble.
A remarkable event in the modern
political history of the empire recently
took place. The government pro-
scribed some of the leaders of the OPP
position for holding meetings without
proper license, in which the conduct
of the government, in yielding up to
Russia, was condemned. These per-
sons were convicted. 1t was believed
by many that it would lead to great
political excitement. On the contrary.
The people took little interest in the
affair. Their conduct indicates that
they are not yet ready for parliament
tary government. The opposition,
so far, have no principles, and stand
on the platform of the Irishman, who
was, under all circumstances, 'agin
the government" The Diet, under
the new constitution, has been twice
dissolved by the emperor on account
of the boisterous opposition to the
cabinet. Will the cabinet dare to adj
wise him to do it again, if it is o6strep-
erous? This is the serious question In
politics. Japan has no Intelligent
large middle class. Above the COM
mon people, only accustomed to arbi-
trary power, is an intelligent class of
perpaps fifty thousand, or even more,
who comprehend the principles of
representative government. This class
embrace the ancient s0nlduri. Here
is found the brains of Japan. 1t is &C
tive, excitable and aggressive. Will
it try to make revolution? No one
knows. The empire is moving on IN
tried lines.
The successful leaders, the present
cabinet, and the party behind it, en-
courage the belief that the emperor
descended from God. 1t is taught in
the schools. The idea is not very
new, as the children of Europe were
taught only recently that the rights of
kings were of divine origin. Only in
Japan the divine birth of the emperor
is still claimed. 1t makes the COM
mon people conservative, and gives
the Government less trouble than
loose ideas about the rights of the
rulers would.
The shrewd leaders, in carrying the
common people from the old order of
things to the new, are careful about
the bridges. They build the new over
the old bridges, but leave the latter to
stand. No political leaders, in the
history of the world, ever went be-
yond their own ideas and traditions
so broadly as these of Japan. They
have STUDIED European and American
history in order to learn something.
They have studied political history in
every aspect. More than this, they
have consulted statesmen and edu-
Gated men of the world in order to
obtain light on the art of government.
All this is to their credit. Yet, among
foreign diplomats, merchants and
travellers who comprehend the situa-
ton there is not much very enthusi-
astic admiration for these leaders.
These men look right into their faces
and zee their mistakes, which are
many. Some of them would be
not very we'll disposed to them,
and overlook them. AS the new
treaties will come into force within
the next four years, there will be an
entire change of the relations of for
eigners to the Japanese unless now
and until then the foreigners are
ruled by their own magnates, in the
treaty ports, and there is no friction.
When the foreigners under the new
treaties, go into Japanese courts,
what will happen? What will jap
anese justice be? There is some ap-
prehension that there will be trouble.
The Code Napoleon has been adopted,
and that powerful English nation
don't like it's methods, nor do the
Americans. 1t savors to much of
inquisition.
The situation is not altogether sat
isfactory because the common jap
anese are not yet friendly to foreign
ers. They share with the Republican
party of the United States the idea of
commercial protection" They
claim to be quite well enough off and
don't care about foreigners getting
into trade with them. When for