The times., 1897-10-31
TOru HoShi'S Deft Analysis of
His COuntrymen.
CIYILIzING EFFECT OF REFORM
SeIectioas From "a Most Instructive
Article Contributed by the Japa-
nese Minister TO Harper's Mnga-
zine for November-In Information
winch Americans Should Absorb.

pire in d lisordered and Impoverished con
dHien Tie resumption OF all the in
perial prsrggatiyes by the Emperor, and the
reielanan OF the Shotgun TO private life
Were not u.e results of Il sudden uprising or
Of hastily planned revolution. The seeds
OF dlsoonrent had been long sown, the
fruit was long in maturing. The govern
ruent OF The shugan had served its ap-
pointed purpose, and was tottering 10 It's
FaH Doubtless Il would have gone down
in any event before internal reuds and do
mesilc diss, nsions- Bat, strangely enough,
the immediate cause of the overthrow was
ole of the most oredtable acts 9f its ex-
isteHce-the conclusion OF the treaties with
foreign powers Tie Japanese conserva-
tives OF that day objected strenuously to
what they termed foreign intrusion, and
the successful citation gaiust tie
shoguna.e was largely due TO their initia-
tive. Bot that the prejudice against for
eigners dad not extend 20 the leaders OF
the movement was shown oonclasiVely by
subsequent events. Their aim was the
destruction Of the illogical and unwieldy
dual form q administration and the Cen
tra!izaJion OF the powers OF government
under its legitimate head. To accomplish
this they awaited themselves Of all the
various forms uf dScnntent and opposition
60 which tnc anomalous administrative con
ling h2n
anri-foreieu elamor among the rest. Bot
the true notiye underlying the movement
to restore the imperial prerogatiyes was
manfesI AT the outset and long before the
design had been successfully consummated,
Il was ceclared by The Emperor himself
when. on March "A. 1867, in the presence
OF court nebles and feudal lords, he made
solemn oath that from that time forth
acniinist ra'ive affairs should be decided BY
general deIberation; that both government
and people should labor for the good Of
the nation, that the evn customs hitherto
prevailing should he Corrected; and that
the country should be strengthened by
adopting the systems Of defense employed
in foreign lands. Tie oath, as was clearly
understood, was intended to be the foan,la-
ton of constitutional government.
Religious IOleratlon.
One Of the first acts of the Emp
after the restoration was the pFOnlulga
uon OF an cdict abolishiDg the laws against
foreiCu religions ana their propagation
among he people. Hence it came 10 PASS
that Cor The first time IN centuries the doc
trine and tenets OF Christianity could be
freely preached and taught IL Japan
Mention OF This momentous event natu
rally suggests seine consideration OF the
question oil religious raitbs in Japan. and
OF their influence upon the intellectual
and moral growth OF the nation. One
Interesting iac1 Immediately diseloses il
self, aud that is that up TO the time when
Japan was closed TO the world foreign
religions had not only teen tolerated, but
had even beer eagerly WELDON ed and
esnCuSeG THIS Is notably true Of Chris
tianuy and Buddhism. The latter was in
troduceG al,out 552 A. D. Until that tim,
ShinJoism was The only religion of ths
people The coming Of Buddhism" "a
one OF our historians says, wrong hi
a cor. ,IeJe CEaHge IL the mind or the ia
ton. Hitherto the peoples Conception
OF reliLitn had been OF a nest TUdimen-
tary oharaC aCter. They merely believed
that the gods must be revered, relied OIL
and feared. In their simple faith they
dttribaIel every happy or unhappy event
every f0Ftgnate or unfortunate in,idrnt
TO the voliti0n Of the dieties, to whom
therefOra, they offered sacrifices that evi
might he avertad." The transition from
paCJhelsm OF this description TO belief in
a fam which mcuIoated virtue and well
dong, ard announced the doctrine Of iu-
ture rewards and punishments, mis-; AT
naturally be regarded as difficult, tat i
was accomplished in Japan In a surpris
fngly brief period. The introduction o.
Buddhism did not, however, destroy rev
erence ior the ancient S!apto failh. Th'
two existed side by side; III some cases the.
were even partially amaIgamated through
the skillful adoption by Buddhist props
gaBdIsts OF some features OF the Shint
belief as part of the Buddhist tenets.
The civic Reorganization.
The reorganization OF the whole fabric ot
pubic administration was one OF the frs
cares OF the imperial government after tbs
restoration. 1t ma = be said In general tha
the aim was % establish an administratiy,
system based as far as practicable upoI
Weste-n RaUd-lS. As a necessary result, tbs
feudal lords surrendered their fiefdons 4
the eeEUral government, and all their ad
nduist ative powers and functions, which
had hitherto been w.deiy distributed among
sUbOldinate dignltanes and officials.
One Of the Hlest significant changes VA
the abolition Of hereditary office, and tn.
elevatiol,. % men Of comparatively low ranl
TO offices Of the highest dignity and in
fluence. SLch other changes as expen
ence showed To be necessary were adopted
from time 10 time, until in 1885 the pres
enU executive system was established. L
consists OF cabinet, composed Of tn,
ministers Of the several executive depart
ments presided over by the prime min
lister, ard oe 4 pEivy council, which act,
tn an advisory capacity. The empire /,
divided into prefecfBlss under governor
appointed iy the central government.
Constitutional Government.
Constitutional government was estab
hshed 2 Janan in 1890. II was the iii
rect rcailt OF the promise made by hi
ma5esty in the solemn oath above re
corded. and was spontaneous gift of som,
OF TIN imperial powers and prerogauve
tc the people. Steps had been taken pre-
yioBsly 10 pave the way for the adoption
OF parliamentary Institutions By extend
ing the rights and privileges OF the pee
pie, aioSt notably by the creation OF tn,
prefectarRi assemblies, which exercise (
certain degree Of control over local affairs
Whether or not such measures We're o
essential valge, il is not necessary TO in
uuire nc this place. In any case, il car
nov be truthfuily stated that parliament
airy government in Japan has passed TIN
experimental stage, and is established
among the permanent institutions OF the