The San Francisco call., 1896-10-20
Count Okuma's Elevation VIII
Cause the Retirement OF
Minister Toru.
GREAT Discomfort IN KOREA.
The King Is the Leader of the Anti.
Japanese Feeling in the
Peninsula.

TOXIC. JAPAN, Oct. 2.-Tbe new Ja-
panese Cabinet has baen at length COM
pleted. 1t Is chiefly remarkable for the
fact that only one portfolio-that OF COM
munications-has fallen to Choshu man,
by no means statesman OF prominence.
Thus, for the first time since the COM
mencement of the Meiji era. the two great
clans of Satsuma and Choshu have drifted
apart; in every previous Ministry they
stood side to side. 1t is not likely, now
ever, that the separation will be perma-
nent. Several of the most eminent sat
suma leaders, now out of office, will DOUBT
less be found in alliance with the Cnosnu
men when the latter return to power.
The new japanese Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs, Count Okuma, has already
become the butt of vehement journalistic
attack. He is recognized as the leading
spirit in the Cabinet. A significant tact is
that the newspaper most conspicuous Tor
its diatribes against him is the organ OF
the National Unionists, the party that
holds the balance of power in the lower
house of the Diet. That means, OF course,
that the Cabinet will find itself in minor
ity in the House. and that an appeal to the
country will be necessary. Count Okuma
is q man well on in the fifties, but he
carries his years very lightly. The terrible
right leg was shattered by bomb, six
years ago, seems not to have impaired his
energy or capacity in any degree. 1t
would be difficult to say whether he has
shown greater ability as fnancier or a
diplomat during his long career of public
life. Unfortunately, his usefulness In
either sphere is impaired by the fact that
his enemies are legion.
Very little doubt is entertained that the
accession of a Cabinet in which Count
Okuma is prominent will entail the resig-
nation of Hoshi Toru, now Japanese
Minister in Washington. Mr.. Hoshi,
during the years of his political activity
as a leader of the Liberal party, became
conspicuous for his vehement attacks
upon the Progressionists, whose chief was
Count Okuma, and the Progressionists re-
yenged themselves Sy forming cabal to
oust Mr.. Hoshi from his position as presi-
dent of the House of Representatives.
The attempt succeeded, but it will always
stand as one of the most discreditable
chapters in japanese parliamentary an
mails. Probably Count Okuma had very
little to do with it. but there cannot be
much possibility of Mr.. Hoshi's continu-
ing to serve in a capacity where Count
Okuma would be his immediate chief, &
japanese dlscontent about the state of
affairs in Korea grows stronger every day.
1t can no longer be doubted that the King
is the leader CT anti-Japanese feeling in
the peninsula. The shock of the emeute
that cost the Queens life produced snch
an effect on his Majesty's weak mind that
he cannot shake off an abiding fear of the
japanese. He is persuaded that if he
leaves the shelter of the Russian legation
he will an once become a mark for jap
anese swords; he rails against Count
Inouye for having permitted such Min
lister as Viscount Miura to come TO Seoul,
and he denounces as judicial fiasco the
trial of the Viscount and his fellow-con-
spirators at Hiroshima.
The King has never welded much power
or exercised much influence in his realm