The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-07-27
JAPAN MAKES RADICAL CHANG ES
IN SYSTEM.
Marquis Ito Succeeds in Supplanting
Himself Forced Out of Office.

The present Ministerial change,
says the Japan Times, is due to the
collision of views among senior states
men, one section led by Marshal va
magata opposing Marquis Ito's pro-
posal to inaugurate the system of
party government. A recent council
of the senior statesmen before the
throne was held over the question.
Marquis Ito maintained that if it was
thought inadvisable for him to or
ganize, while remaining in office,
Ministerial party, then he should Of
fer to leave the government, recon-
mending Premier holding views In
common with himself, and he, the
Marquis, should organize a party to
render support to the government
from outside. Both of his proposals
were disapproved by the other SEMI
or statesmen, who are inclined to
adopt an imperialist system of gov
ernment and are opposed to the idea
of party politics held by Marquis Ito.
Under the circumstances there Will
be no alternative left to the Premier
but to tender his resignation. Time,
however, did not allow the view held
Dy lHe duNOCdbCS W PiN-
vail, for though Marsha! Yamagata
and his fellow thinkers strongly
maintained their theory, the Marshal
himself had already given up the idea
of mingling in politics. And so what
Marquis Ito failed to carry out di-
rectly with his own hands, is, by his
especial recommendation and appro-
val of the Emperor, to be undertake
, en- by Counts Okuma and Itagaki,
backed by the Constitutional party.
The new Cabinet is as follows:
Count Okuma, Premier and Minister
of Foreign Affairs; Count ItagalI,
| Minister of Home Affairs; Masahisa
Matsuda. Minister of Finance; Yuzo
! Hayashi, Minister of Communication;
! Masmi Oishi. Minister of Agriculture
and Commerce.; Yoshimichi Ohigashi,
Minister of Justice; Hukio Ozakl,
Minister of Education.
The organization of the present
Ministry must be said to be an out
come of wears of indefatigable efforts
by the party men, while the surren-
der of the cabinet to the party of the
previous Ministry, a step brought
about by an extraordinary resolution
was dictated from the motive of per.
fecting the working of constitutions
government. This decision of Mar
quis Ito, occupying as he does an at
titude of opposition, is worthy of spe'
cial praise. At the same time, how
ever, the consummation was in virtue
of the enlightened Judgment of the
Emperor, and also because the party
as result of several years of inde
fatigable work, had placed itself or
a solid basis compatible with the con
stitutional government. Under the
circumstances all those forming the
present Cabinet are deeply impress
ed with the gravity of their situation
and duty.
When Marquis Ito rendered his res
ignation of the Premiership, he re
signed at the same time his Order o
Merit and his rank as Marquis. Th
resignation of the former was accept
ed by II. NJ the Emperor, but the lat
ter was not On Thursday afternooii
Marquis Saigo, Minister of the Navy
in the capacity of imperial messenger
called on Marquis Ito, and intimatet
the imperial words to the followin!
effect:
The order of merit and the rank o
nobility have no connection whatev
er with the Premiership. These hay
ing been conferred upon you in rec
ognition of your meritorious service
rendered to the country, you are eN
pected to bequeath them to your de
scendants as perpetual heirloom I
them.