The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-24
MARQUIS ITOS DOWNFALL.
RESULT OF THE RESIGNATION on
THE JAPAN CABINET.

The Principle OF Government by Party In,
nuRurnted-The Emperor Accepts Nd
ministers Mon Chosen by n Majority
OF the Diet Before Appealing to the
Country-Jnpan's Financial Condition.
YOKOHAMA. June 28,-There has been an,
other surprise in japan, the land OF surprised,
After n controversy In the Diet there Is disso-
linton. and without warning the Cabinet ra-
signs and the whole country is enveloped In the
throes OF a political struggle.
The rosiRnation OF the Premier, Marquis Ito.
has come like o bolt from the blue, and fricnds.
ma we'll az enemies. are taken aback by its un-
expectodness, Those who have watched the
course Of political events closely, howovsL
could not DO surprised much at the turn mats
ters have at ~lenethtaken, for there was scarcely
A visible loophole Of escape to tho Ito Governs
~ment-other than resignation, sooner or later
because Of the formidable opposition.
It IN fresh In the memory Of many that the
Ito Ministry dissolved tho Diet because 10
maintained incorporating antnRonism
toward the Government and refused to discuss
n bill which had been declared Indispensable
for the working OF administrative organa.
Immediately after the dissolution OF the Diet
an a~malgamation Of Liberals and Progressives
was mooted In order that they might concenS
trato their energies In an attack on a clan sys1
tom Of Government.
MARQUIS Ito, seeing this. discarded the irroS
aponsible policy to which he had adhered for
many years and set about organizing a Minis
teriAl party. In which attempt, however, he
failed. He and Count Inouye thought that the
best way OF exit from the present situation was.
to hand ovor the reins Of Government to Counts
okuma and Ttagaki. "a their parties are now
amalgamated and are apparently influential
enough to form o Cabinet. '
At last Fridays council Of senior statesmen
held In the presence OF the Emperor. the
Premier submitted his opinion. insisting on the
necessity Of founding the method OF Governs
ment by political party, and declaring that, u
the Government could not form apolitical party
to meet the pressing needs Of the time, 1t would
better 20 surrender the administration OF the
country to q party already in existence, az.
otherwise. the welfare Of the State must be
seriously impaired. No definite decision seems
to have been arrived ct when the meeting ended.
After It's CLOSE. however. Marquis Ito war
specially summoned By the Emperor and was
asked as to the best means TO be pursued under
the circumstances The Premier is said to have
urged on his Majesty the advisability OF sum-
moning Counts okuma and Itagaki. and ms
trusting them with the responsibility Of forming
q new Cabinet. The Marquis IL further reported
to have remarked that he would not become Q
member Of any coalition Cabinet.
The next morning the Premier rendered HE
ESbl8uuOA0hs WLAbOOh al t"S "A
style, to the Emperor. at the same time sur
rendering his peeraGe and court title. In the
course Of the same day all the Ministers Of
| State sent In their designations, one after the
| other; those Of the Ministers of the Navy and
War are said to have been sent back by the
Emperor. simultaneously with the rendering
Of his resignation the Premier sent his secre-
tary to the residences Of. Counts okuma and
ItaEaki. requesting them to visit him at his of
AotnI o,srknr- IN Cha avantp0 In fhta infar-
view the Marquis asked them whether they
would resume the reins Of government. saying
that, II DO. he would recommend them to the
sovereign. In reply both Counts promised to
give o definite answer on the morrow.
On Sunday morning q meeting of leading
members OF the Kensei-to Constitutional
| party was held. There were eleven present.
The two Counts who had visited the Premier
the previous evening reported the CONVERSE
ton. and asked the opinion OF those present.
It IL said to have been resolved at the meeting
that in case Of q coalition Cabinet being pro.
posed. or one with some condition attached to
It. they would not accept the responsibility Of
forming o Cabinet. but II they received q man
date from the Emperor to form O new Ministry
headed by Counts 0kuma and ItaGaki. they
would readily undertake the duty.
Since then o meeting Of the Constitutional
party has been held. and the following COM
POoAeANA "a SAO 1ALAot Nuo CiA opOAtt
Count okuma shigenobu. Premier and Minister fog
Count ftagad Taisuke. Minister for Home AdaLrs.
MAtsuda Masahisa, Minister Of Finance.
9hiEaIhi Giteten Minister q Justice.
Oishi MAsami. Minister of Agriculture and Com
merce.
ozah YudO. Minister of Education.
Both Count okuma and Count ItaGaki, the
proposed new leaders. are committed to the
principle Of government by party. and their Sc.
lection means that the Emperor will not await
the VERDICT Of. the country, but OF his w voliI
to accept as Ministers the men chosen by the
majority Of the Diet. But party RoyernmenE
although the main plank in the platform Of the
Ksnseisto. is not the only item In the programme,
state. Two cabinets have advocated an ads
dition <, the land tax. and have advocated In
vain. Ihe Aenset,to would have, recourse to an
Increase In the sake talcoholic liquor) tax. and
foreign loans, The Diet has already In two
successive budgets concurred. In the proposal
to raise internal loans amounting to over 1907
oO2.o9O yen: but these loans have not been
money. Her credit. however. is high, and Il
through the Diet. foreign loans could bS
E EslIsSo '4 shs 'n sSant ~ i fPGpn' its as pEws Sslds
on q prosperous footing. II. combined With
economy IN the admi9istration and retrenchs
obtain relief from tho e1 1Rahsao pfe ss ! t tHerS
Is no. reason why she should not once more see
her industries lioprishinR. her manufacturer
n moss eHrsSoIlss.; !. ana her export trade approach
imports. Money che must have. and since the
country refuses to increase the land tax. therS
is only one alternative-the Introduction Of iors