Evening star., 1898-09-10
Count Okuma Will Figure in the Af.
fairs Of Nations.
THE COUNTRY NOW HAS PARTY RULE
Outlook for the Future is Brighte,
Than Ever Before.
STORY OF AN ABLE MAN

a little Jap. with one leg. He ir Count
Shigenobu Okuma. the new premier OF
Japan. and what he lacks in IA physical
sense is moro than made UP in those men
tai qualities which have won for him the
respect and admiration OF his people. II is
safe to say that no foreign power Will at
tempt to triae with little Okuma
at ii Hung Chang ia to China Count
okuma is TO Japan. and more. for ne repre-
sents the people OF Japan. In HIS recent
elevation TO the premiership the death kneE
Of the government OF the clans was sound
ed. and Japan now enjoys the comparative
freedom OF party rule. 1t Is really a revs-
luton In japanese politics, and the people
are assured OF representation Couus
okuma is the father Of the reformation.
He has had ample experience in the past as
minister Of finance and minister OF foreign
affairs.
In order to thoroughly understand the
situation 1t il first necessary 10 take "a
brief survey OF japanese politics. For the
last thirty years Japan has been ruled by
the ministry composed OF the mobiles OF
satsum and Choshu. There were times
when Tosa and HiZen men We're members
of the cabinet, but the latter were gradual
~ frozen out and of recent years all the
important government positions have been
nlled by representatives OF the two famous
clans.
The Growing Discontent
Japan suffered long and patiently un-
der this yoke of clan government, bus
finally the clamoring of the people for a
change resulted in the establishment Of the
Diet in 1880, and at once II became the
mouthpiece Of the peoples discomfort An
address to the throne charging the govern.
ment with misadministralion or a Nut, #
non-cuniidence in the reigning ministry or
the rejection Of an important government
frg of
diet.
The government would reply with either
suspension or dissolution. The clan g1Y-
ernment managed TO continue its existence
as there were no political parties strong
enough to overthrow ii. The liberals and
the progresSlNes, the two leading parties.
We're always at loEgcerheads. but on
recent measure involving taXatiJns they
united their forces.
The leaders of the two parties. Count
Okuma and Count ItaEaki got together
ana as result the great popular party uu-
der the name OF 'kensoi-to," or "o1stftu-
Nonal party, was born. The inauguration
ceremonies of the new party were conduct
ed on June 22
AS result of this Marquis Ito resigned
the premiership, and his example was fol-
lowed by all the other cabinet minister's
Marquis Ito, himself man Of keen and
far-sighted judgment. had previously urge
the necessity OF changing a policy that held
aloof from political parties. But he met
with no support, SO he resigned and in do
ing so he recommended to the emperor as
his successor Count Okuma
The emperor summoned Counts Okuma
and Itagaki to the court. and they We're In
trusted with the task of a cabinet forma-
ton, with the result that Okuma accepted
the premiership and at the same time be-
came minister Of foreign affairs. The
change in the ministry was at once an
nounced and went into effect at once.
A Prophecy FULFILLED.
This very thing was ura1frta9 h,- ba l..
John A. Cockerll in 1875. when he was the
Heralds special commissioner in Japan. In
one of his letters Mr.. Cockerill said. in
speaking of Count Okuma: without ever
having set foot outside of Japan. and with
out understanding a word of foreign Lam
guage, he seems to have grasped the genius
Of his own country and the spirit OF the
age more fully than any other citizen of
Japan with whom | have yet conversed
He is a great force today. although retired
from all active political life and public
service. 1t is the universal belief that
should this war result in "A political revul-
sion as now seems more than probable. he
VIII succeed NiscOunt Muisu in the foreign
Office, and he may even be lifted into the
premiership. now held by Count Ito. This
much is hoped for by the vast party be-
hind him"
Count Gkuna is native of Hizen, a
province of Kyusyu Island, and is nearly
sixty years old. But he sull calls himself A
HiZen clan, but was not blessed with an
abundance of this worlds goods. Meager
as his opportunities were. Okuma ever ne
elected an opportunity to cultivate the
eminent scholars and leading men OF his
time, and he learned 10 take a deep interest
in the affairs Of his country
In 1877 the Saigo rebellion took place.
and following that the nations finances be-
came exceedingly disordered 1t was then
that he was appointed minister Of finance,
and demonstrated his keen judgment in
matters of state. He later found himself
at the head of the foreign office.
How He Lost a Leg.
In 1880 he had almost carried to compile
ton treaty with Great Britain. He had
been vigorously opposed by some zeaiois OF
the aggressive schools Of politics. .~and one
day, while returning to his office in his car
Rage, he was saulted by fanatic, VINO
threw a dynamite bomb into the vehicle
The explosion tore of the greater part Of
the counts right leg. The assassin. with
out waiting to ascertain the result OF his
dendish work, drew knife and very prop
eTly pro, eeded TO rip himself up in ancient
japanese style. He died miserabiy, while
the count stin lives, enjoying the respect
of the whole country and carrying with
him the hopes of millions of his country
men.
Count Okuma is active in developing the
modern sciences in Japan. In 1850. wl,h
that far-sighted study of the nation uceds
"
founded an institution of learning for
young men. Just across the way from his
residence, in a suburb of Toxic, known as
Waseda, he erected the first buildings and
endowed the institution with 100000
This is known the Toxic Seumon
Gakko, and il has enjoyed great prosperity
There are at present about thousand stu
dents. The university embraces three sep
arate schools, one OF japanese law, one Of
political science and one OF literature.
HIS dome and Family
The counts house is delightful COM
bination Of the modern and the ancient
Japanese. In the front his rooms are car
peted, papered and equipped in European
style, while In the rear sections we find the
little japanese porches, sliding screens and
papered windows. His grounds and gar
dens are as fine as anything in Japan. lie
has, indeed, an ideal rural home. His post
office address is No. 40 Shmo TOtsukamura
Minami Toshinagora.
Count Okuma is happily married and
dearly loves the seclusion of his own home
His wife, the countess. is a lady of quiet
1emeanOr, and proves an admirable hostess
at their numerous and ever-hOspitable re-
ceptions The lady has many friends
among the nobility and the youth of the
and. She takes great interest in the Sem
non Gakko, and invariably graces the