The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-11-23
NOVEMBER %.
THE JAPANESE SITUATION.


prosperity is now dependant on
japanese subjects, and another
fact. that we are calling for more
of them every day, it is. supremacy
important that we should under
stand. if it is possible TO do SO, the
general course of political
thought and action in that coun'
try. We are now involved in one
rather serious dispute with the
japanese and it is evident enough
that there will be IL good deal
more friction in the future, with
or without annexation.
The resignation of Count
Okuma from the Office of Foreign
Affairs in Japan was expected. 1t
appears to be due to the action OF
the Progressionist's party Of
which Count Okuma is the leader.
That party demanded at first a
great increase in the military and
naval strength of Japan, and it's
pronounced foreign policy was
the closing out of the territorial
jurisdiction of foreign powers in
the Empire. At no time was the
acquisition of territory beyond
the sea advocated by that party
in the Diet or out of it. But the
yearly maintenance of these great
ornaments has already caused a
deficit of over $2O,OOO,OOO and the
ProgressiOnists, afraid OF their
own policy, now demand great re-
forms and economies in the ad-
ministration by the Cabinet and
it declares that it's promises have
not been kept. Count Okuma, as
the leader of that party, had been
taken into the Cabinet in order to
keep the party quiet. He is not a
Satsuma man, and as toe Gov
eminent is in the hands of the
Satsuma elan. he was not in much
favor with it. He sought the aid
of Count Ito who is in sympathy
with the Liberals. but he got no
aid. He was then forced to aban-
don his own party or resign. lie
resigned. The jingoes here have
it in their heads that the Hawai-
ian matter had something to do
with it. 1t had about as much to
do with it as it had to do with the
late Presidential contest between
Bryan and Mckinley.
In neither the vernacular or the
foreign Press of Japan is the Ha-
waiian matter mentioned. The
Japanese Mail gives eight
columns to the discussion of the
situation, and the Kobe Chroni
Gle several columns. No allusion
is made TO the Hawaiian affair
The issue is stated by them to be
the alarming financial condition
of the Government, and of course
with that is the struggle fol
power between the clans.
In order to meet the alarming
deficit. there must be increased
taxation. The leaders of the
many factions are afraid to meet
that issue, because any party thai
advocates it may be defeated il
the coming election. The Japan
csc people have had their military
and naval hula, and now don't
wish topayfOr the music. This con
ditiOn of things existed long be
fore the expulsion of immigrants
from Hawaii. When that eXpul
sion took place, the people acted
precisely as the Americans act
ed when the British demanded
Mason and Slidell in 1862
Though they did not have war
ships enough to blockade the
Southern ports, and General Lee
held their armies in check within
sight of the Capitol, they wanted
to fight the British at once. There
was a frenzy for fighting. But
the Government said mo
and gave up the captured diplO-
mats. So the Japanese people, in
a frenzy about what they believed