The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-31
All His Gallant Services for
the Country Entirely
Forgotten.
NEW CABINET TO BE FORMED.
Decided Determination on the Part
OF the Government to Protect
Foreigners.

~ W, 4udy Ou'-hAi pei Idl
dated May 10, but not published till May
ID, at last gives the people of Japan an in
sight into the true position of affairs, and
enables them to open investigations on
their own account the eagerness and en-
ergy of which will presently bring all hid
den facts to light. Criticism can never be
directed against an edlct issued in the SOW
ereign's name, but events which the docu-
ment records may be considered apart
from the recital in particular form, and
will be discussed with view to ascertain
ing the exact responsibility of the leading
Ministers of State, and with the purpose of
holding them to strict account for occur
rences which are pronounced dishonorable
to the dignity and prestige of the nation.
There can be no mistaking the depth
and intensity of the popular feeling. The
angry excitement of the multitude recalls
the experience of six years ago, when the
nation showed for the first time in its
modern history what it was capable of in
an excess of blind passion. In the sum-
mer of 1899 Count Okuma as Minister of
Foreign Affairs was the idol of the COM
munity. He was supposed to have settled
the vexed question of treaty revision on
was honored accordingly. In the autumn
of the same year his countrymen fancied
that they had detected flaw in his nego-
tiations by which the national indepen-
dence was endangered and they turned
upon him with such fury as to overthrow
his administration. While the agitation
was at its height Count Okuma was at
tackled by an assassin of the stamp of the
fanatic VINO shot Ii Hung Chang, and was
crippled for life.
Yet the accusation then leveled against
the Ministry of which Okuma was the
leading spirit was as nothing compared
with the arraignment which awaits Count
Ito's Cabinet. The ground of offense in
Okuma's case was that he had proposed to
introduce foreign Judges for a limited
period into the highest Japanese tribunals
Ito Will be charged with treachery, cow
ardlce and connlvance in the disgrace of
the empire. His manifold services to the
State and his industrious labors through
out the war will be wholly lost sight of
and nothing remembered but his failure
to assert the territorial claims of Japan in
defiance OF the peremptory commands of
the three great European powers. The
conclusion drawn by all who know the
position of affairs is that, inasmuch as the
administration of 1889 was thrown out in
consequence of an indiscretion which the
people exaggerated into crime, the pres
ent Ministry is a hundred times more
surely doomed. since the allegations will,
in this case, be infinitely harsher and
severer.
1t is the expectation of the whole official
81 4l~14
his office before the various political organ
izations have time to consolidate against
him. The recognition by intelligent men
of the power of the people to shape the
destinies of the administration is one of
the most singular social developments of
modern japan. Fifty years ago the coun-
try was ruled by an aristocracy which
took no more heed of the populace than if
the latter had been animals. Twenty-Five
years ago, when the control of the Gov
eminent passed into the hands of an oil
garchy, the masses were still considered as
having no voice in the state. But the
attempt to introduce democratic institu-
lions has been followed by results which
advocates of the constitutional system
never anticipated. The people have not
only taken what was offered them, but
have grasped at infinitely more, until now,
in extremity, they find themselves en-
dowed with strength to destroy Ministries
If such is their pleasure 1t has always
been said by certain number of con-
servatives that the encroachments of
the multitude could be kept in check
by a firm and resolute Government.
but since the establishment of Parliament
no Cabinet has ventured to oppose the
popular will by force. The present Cabi-
net is least of all likely to take so vigorous
a stand. 1t does not now appear that the
abandonment of the Manchurian territory
will be lamented by the Japanese for any
length of time. After the first fit of irrita-
ton is over they will probably realize that
the possession of Shing King province
would have been pecuniary burden and
the cause of permanent anxiety.
What they cannot forgive is the alleged
negligence of the Government in failing to
ascertain in advance whether the acouisi-
ton could or could not be retained. Thew
entirely overlook the efforts which I'M
questionably were made to elicit the views
of European powers, because these efforts
were unsuccessful. They furthermore
aver that the Ministry failed to maintain
the dignity of the nation throughout the
negotiations with Russia, France and Ger
many. First, by yielding prematurely
when much might have been gained by
prolonged diplomatic endeavors to bet
ter the situation; next, by rendering
a proposal which was sure to be
rejected by the league and which
had to be followed by additional
humiliation, and finally by accepting de-
feat without striving to secure alternative
advantages that should compensate for the
inevitable sacrifice. The fact that they are
as yet totally ignorant of the circum-
stances under which the Ministers were
constrained to act, does not in the least
deter the angry critics from lavishing in
veetives upon every one supposed to be ac-
countable for what they call the betrayal
of the nation. One of their bitterest
grounds of complaint indeed is the igno-
rance in which they were kept from be-
ginning to end. 1t is quite true that very
extreme measures were adopted to prevent
the dissemination of news by the press.
During the period of mystery no less than
forty-fve journals were suspended for at