The San Francisco call., 1896-01-12
SINISTER SIGNIFICANCE.
The Cars Attitude in the Far
East Cannot Be Viewed
With Complacence.
THE MoHAMMEDAN REBELLION.
An Additional Army Sent to Join
General Tung in Fighting the
InSurrectioniStS

TOXIC, JAPAN, Dec. 27.-The ninth ses-
sion of the Japanese Diet commenced on
Christmas day. Great interest attaches to
the proceedings on this occasion. For the
first time in japanese parliamentary his
tory the Cabinet meets the Diet with
large and openly avowed body OF adher-
ents in the Lower house. On the other hand
the fact that the chief political party in
the empire-a party commanding 100 votes
out of total OF 300 in the House of Repre-
sentatives-is now on the Governments
side, has induced the various sections
forming the opposition to amalgamate
into solid union, the result being such
close division Of forces that the balance of
power rests With small party of thirty
two mem bers, called the National Union
lists. Victory viii lie with whichever side
secures the votes of the latter. The ques-
ton at issue between the opposition and
the Cabinet relates to foreign policy.
1t is maintained by the opposition that
the Ministry is responsible for the retro
cessioH of Liaotung and that the pro-
gramme pursued in Korea has been alto
gether too weak.
But many national problems of vital
Importance press for solution in the sequel
of the war with China-problems relating
to increase of armament, promotion of in
dustries, extension of maritime enterprise
and SO forth-and it is felt that to impede
the settlement of these problems for the
sake of arraigning the acts of the Cabinet
in the past would be contrary to the in
terests OF the empire. If the opposition
quietly voted for all the Governments i'm
portant bills and after the passage of these
introduced an address to the throne ar
raigning the Ministry, they might obtain
a majority of votes, SO strongly developed
among the members of the lower house
is the instinct of attacking those in power.
But during a session of only three months
duration there is always great difficulty in
passing a number of measures through
both houses, however popular the meas
ures may me.
Hence, even though the opposition defer
their assault upon the Ministry until after
the passage OF sll-important measures sub
mitted to the lower house, they will still
run the risk of defeating the measures by
precipitating the dissolution of the Diet
before the upper house has had time to
conclude its deliberations. Thus the Gov
ernment virtually holds command of the
situation, since it can easily contrive to
divide the work between the two houses
so that, Up to the very last hour, some
thing will remain to be accomplished.
Approaching this dilemma, the opposition
have resolved to introduce their vote of
want of confidence at an early stage of the
proceedings-pr preeipitancy that will prob
ably involve defeat. Should they win the
n xyl,a how IoE Hoh
pledged to dissolve the house and appeal
to the country, and is further pledged to
resign in the event of the constituencies
pronouncing against it.
Considerable sensation has been caused
in Japan by Russia's action in obtaining
the port of Kiao-chow as a naval station
during winter. Kiao-chow is a spacious
bay on the southern side of the Shantung
Peninsula. A certain sinister significance
seems to attach to the presence of Rus
sian squadron on one side of a Chinese
peninsula while Japanese force occupies
fortified harbor (Wei-hai-wei) on the
other especially in view OF the fact that
Japan's occupation is temporary being de-
pendent upon the complete payment of
the war indemnity, and that the supposed
object of Russia is to extrude the Japanese
from all positions on Chinese soil. Rus
sia has succeeded in thrusting Japan out
of Liaotung and Manchuria, and it looks
as if she intended to make sure of pushing
her out of Wei-hai-wei also when the stip-
ulations of the Shimonoseki treaty are full
filled. She is gradually acquiring in the
Far East position that cannot be viewed
with complacence either by Great Britain
or by Japan.
The threatened cabinet crisis in Japan
has passed, Marquis Ito, president of the
Cabinet, having returned to Toxic and re-
sumed the duties of his post. Count Mutsu,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, who has been
recruiting his health for months at his sea-
side villa, is now eonvalescent, but is not
expected to take up active duties before
April.
The commission appointed by the United
States Government to inquire into the
Szechuan outrages was reported, when last
heard from, to be making steady progress
toward its goal, Chengtu. The journey
was estimated to last seventy three days.
During the first few weeks the commits
sioners rode on horseback; then they used
mule-litters and subsequently sedan chairs.
One account says that they have met with
great oivility ana helpfulness from all
Chinese officials en- route, but another al
leges that they have had to endure studied
neglect and insults.
The Mohammedan rebellion in Shensi
remains unquelled. General Sung, who
commanded the whole of the Chinese
forces in Manchuria during the campaign
against Japan, has been ordered to proceed
at once with his army of 10000 men to re-