The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-11

Fron, the Post-Intelilgeneer Special Cor
respondent.
TOKYO. Dec. Z2-Ths latter half o. No
vernber vas the most exciting period n
japanese politics since the new ministry
came into power The excitement was all
on account Of the newspapers. 1t began
with the NIjgrozu Sekl, "Twenty-sixt n
Century" a native magazine published IN
Osaka good while ago Il had printed
an article rejecting severely on Count
Hi5ikata, minister o. the imperial house
hold For this attack it was suspended
ana ARA sned before the Osaka local
court on a charge OF libel In October It
was relieved from the ban OF suspension,
and IN IT'S issue Of October Is X renewed
its attack on the count in an article far
more bitter ana condsmnatory than that
which had caused It's suspension. For
reasons which I shall suggest presently
the cabinet took no notice OF the offensive
article. Presently. however. the article
was given fresh prominence and far
greater influence By being reproduced n
the Nippon. an influential Tokyo daily.
II vas not only reprinted in full. but the
Nippon inserted between the lines com
mandatory notes OF its own and gave the
whole article It's unqualified ludorseme nt.
The substance OF the article. as well as
have been able TO get at IL through the
various transla lions that have appeared,
is enough 20 make the minister squlrm.
and IT'S accusations involve a good many
others besides him. 1t alleges that Count
Hlt.kata is unfairly partial 10 Marquis
to- the head Of the former cabinet. now
out Of power: that he has contriyed 20 Sc
cure for Marquis Ito an audience with the
emperor whenever the marquis desired IL,
whereas other prominent men have had
great difficulty in getting access 10 the
emperor. aud when such access has been
granted they have been warned before
hand not 10 breach any political topic.
This same discrimination. the article al
leges, extended even 10 audiences with
the dowager and other imperial relatives.
and 1t Is added that when. during Marquis
lt0's premiership, a peer submitted
memorial 10 the throne the minister OF
the household used to act so arbitrarily
that no memorial was allowed to reach his
majesty unless it had been first examined
and approved by the premier.
The article further affirms that similar
Partially has been practiced with regard
10 newspapers. only the Official Gazette
the Tokyo Nichi Nlchl and the Japan
Daily Mail being presented 10 the emperor
for hts perusal, while from other papers
only clippings approved by the authorities
Are presented. and that even I'm the case
Of the proceedings OF the diet refutatiOns
used to BE- appended 10 such portions as
whenever Marquis Ito so directed
Another charge contained in the ar
ticle is thar Count Hijikata suggested to
the emperor the adVisability of making
a grant Of 10000 yen 20 Marquis Ito by
way OF reward for distinguished services
during the Chins-Japan war: and that on
the 'tickle-me- and-Tll-tickle-you' prlnci-
pie the marquis IN turn recommended
grant OF $1,000 yen 10 the count
Il fga~ nj sv42 Al
embraced in the article It charges that
Count Hiiikata by improper measures oh
tained possession OF certain government
land forming part OF the imperial forest
preserves In the village OF Hiiikata the
home OF the counts ancestors: that he
obtained the land by lending his influence
to Mr. Dogura the forest king" of ia
pan. who was thus enabled 20 become the
owner Of certain sacred" forest near
the shrine OF Ise. A minor offense alleged
In the article against the count Is that he
declined 20 construct small library for
the emperor because II involved an outlay
or & 900 yen.
But the raclest part OF the scandal is
that which links Count Hijikata's name
with that OF a certain maid Of honor at
court, and charges that both the count
and the marquis had their. own reasons
for tho selection Of ladies to FIJI the sta
lions % honor at court
Besides these were various implications
to the effect that members OF the cabinet
were heavy shareholders in certain large
commercial concerns.
Now for special reasons the cabinet
was slow 70 take any official notice OF
these scandals. One reason was that the
present cabinet came into office practi-
cally pledged 20 secure the freedom OF the
press. It's members accordingly found
Themselves IN a peculiarly awkward d.
lemma. II they overlooked charges so
fully definitely and prominently made.
they might be understood as afraid 10
meet the charges. IT, on the other hand.
they took the matter mp. It would De 20
deal with the newspap ers under law
which the cabinet was virtually pledged
% repeal or modify.
After some hesitation. during which II
IS said there was some very earnest de-
ltberating the household department sent
an official communication to the Nippon
denouncing the Objectionable article as a
gross misrepresentation and demanding
that lt be Withdrawn.
At this sage ~ the proceedings the
Nichi Nichi which claims the largest cir
culation Of the Tokyo daHles. came for
ward to champion the cause OF the house
hold department. II published replv
traversing the objectionable article para
grsph by paragraph. on the basis of in
formation obtained directly from the
household department ana other ofhcial
quarters
MS woke the echoes Of battle All along
,he lodrnallSfic inc me opposition pa
i'"F~- ever on me 9.'Fi ~ und A Vulnerable
point in the sdministTl 1--WE armor. took 10
P" 'i-'t WIZ N.E.i- queer complications
followed Tire Ni-hi Nicht for instance.
: HteaatN - 1oa"t ITO ana therefore 10
me h"2Se1o3A osp.'f .I'leFi oi which the
~ sinister tl'o-a s'I. a l.eF ~ the ne"