Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-05
AN ERROR OF JUDGMENT
When the Emperor of Japan Dissolved thu
=, $500 49, pa. House.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

YOKOHAMA. December % 1897.
The ways Of the Japanese are extrsorii-
nary. and especially from an European
point OF view. On the oath instant the
diet met at pm. to prepare for the OPEN
ing OF the eleventh session. His maiesty's
speech was as follows:
Lords and Gentlemen OF the House OF
Peers and the House of Representatives:
we have pleasure in informing YOU that
our relations with all the treaty powers
are on footing OF the closest and most
friendly character and that the revision OF
the treaties is on the point of consumma-
ticn. In order to establish the finances on
a firm basis. We have instructed the min
lister of finance to fix upon a scheme OF
Increased taxation in connection with the
budget for the thirty-frst year OF Meiu,
and TO submit the measures to you in con-
junction with a bill embodying the revised
code and various other projects of law.
essential to the promotion OF national pros
perity and to administrative progress. We
trust That you will discharge your func-
lions of elaboration. and consent with
harmony and careful thought"
Inc reply was as follows:
May II please your imperial majesty,
your ma1esty's servant. Hatayama Kazuo
president of the house OF Representa- lives
begs to submit, with awe and reverence
that your majesty's servants are moved
with profound gratitude for your aJesty's
conoescension in personally attending TO
open the eleventh session of the imperiaI
diet and in favoring them with your ma
Jestys gracious speech. Your majesty's
servants Will endeavor by earnestness and
careIui dehneration to respond to your
maJesty's will and to discharge the trust
reposed in them by the nation"
Ihere was no other business done except
the election of the heads OF the various
committees, ard the house adjourned IN
less than an hour. On Christmas day the
house of representatives met at Ito n m
when the president announced that the
government had submitted the budget and
S SsaI as measures for the fiscal year
lS9S-lS.5. and the house was about to pro-
ceed TO the order of the day when Mr.
Suzuki proposed that this house does not
place confidence In the present cabinet"
almost Immediately the president called
upon the members to rise, as he had re-
ceiVed an imperial message which he read
as 1ollows: In accordance with article 4
or the imperial constitution. we hereby
order the dissolution Of the house of rep
resentatives."
1t has been generally understood by those
well acquainted with japanese politics that
the president on his appointment received
from the emperor an order empowering
MIN TO dissolve the house whenever any
great difficulty was presented which in
VOWED the government. This is now how
ever, proved TO be a fact. for the house only
met al -Io pm. ana was dissolved at l:lJ
pm, just nine minutes after il had met
shortly afterward the minister Of the navy
rendered his resignation and since then the
premier and several other ministers have
rendered theirs.
Difficult Problems to Meet.
1t is much to be regretted that the gov
eminent did not face the vote of want OF
confidence and then send in their resigna-
tons to the emperor. Had that course
been followed. as is usual with European
cabinets, the house of representatives
WOULD nave been at hand ready to take
up the budget on the formation of the
new cabinet. AS 1t is it will be several
months before another house can be elect
ed, and as the finances OF the country are
IN such an alarming condition serious con-
nicts are sure to take place during the
elections, which viii make it more diff
cut Tor the government to meet the newly
elected members.
With deficit of over twenty millions OF
yen In the present financial year and some
eighty millions to provide for the next
either I'm the way of loans or Increased
taxation, there is sufficient difficulty with
cut exciting the people by the strife of a
general election. To relieve the present
financial strain, however. it is understood
mat the government intends to stamp the
silver yen which have been exchanged for
geld, and to lend them to the cotton spin
ners who claim to be I'm such severe finan-
clai condition. But why the coins are to
be stamped is problem difficult to under
stand, seeing that they are still coins of
the country and negotiable at par every
where.
1t is also difficult to see why the cotton
splnners should be so favored when every
INDUSTRY seems to be suffering from the
same complaint as they are and the only
reason that seems feasible is that these
men, being members Of very large and in
nuential bodies, may be of assistance to
the government during the elections But
this putting off of the inevitable will make
the blow the more severe when IL does
come. The people have been given a taste
or power in being allowed to elect a house
or representatives. and until that power is
made real and responsible they will not
De satisfied. When the responsibility Of
government is thrown on the representa-
ives OF the people the revenues OF the
country Will be used to develop the IN
dustries of the people; not in building up
an army and navy which is already too
expensive for them to keep up to its present
strength much longer, much less to in
crease three-foid, as outlined in the present
scheme.
THE FATHERS SHOT.