New-York tribune., 1899-07-23

| their home waters.
So the Japanese were allowed to give full play
TO their schemes OF expansion on the maih'anu
of Asia But not for long for Russia steppea
in and put a stop to all poaching on .erri'o''
that she considered preserved for herset a'o"e'
Though successful against the Chinese japan
is now reaping the fruits Of campaign 'ha'
can only be stigmatized as quite the most ifh-
moral one OF modern times Having seen anu
still hearing daily accounts OF the eHects vi
that war upon China. the japanese people aie
! now beginning to realize that perhaps "Ne
fate NAV overtake them should they continue
! in attempting to compete in expansion scherles
with the Weather and therefore more powerful
nations Of the West Not only this, but they
are also beginning to resent the heavy buruen
| Of taxes imposed upon them for purely naval
| and military purposes. A japanese magazine
| written I'm English says with regard to thls
| subject:
Why this insensate rush to weighten taxation
| and make life more unbearable than IL Is now
| Solely and only for empty military erti eranueu
! for the upkeep Of a standing army numericdhy
! superior TO that of Europe's strongest nation
| Great Britain, Our beloved land is' IN iidUy AZ,
! respects similar to the United Kingdom we
| aim to be a commercial manufacturing anu
| neace preserving people We want the markets
| of the Far East at least open to our wares anu anu
! products and fair play all around iet We nat
| ern uttoral: no Germany within twenty-four
| hours steaming of our best towns no tuI pu
lent Ireland to interfere with our NO ho'ne ne 'ure
| or colonial policy. And with all TINS we are
called upon TO make ready and keep READY lor
possible antagonists TO the extent that our
| forces must numerically outwelsh ms ,oo trans
! ropes master nation, The farce is 700 Trans
| parent the Imagination too crude Turn out
| the lights and swing back the curtain; the game
! is not worth the candle
| All this. though rather high pitched IN tohe'
vet indicates truthfully the opinions held oy
| growing majority OF the thinking people or ia
| pan with regard TO their country competing III
! military evanston schemes with the great
| Powers of the world. Further. so common mas
| become the use of the English language, and so
educated in knglo-Saxon ideas are the masses
| IN Japan becoming that they are fast losing
their oldtme servile respect for the Samurai'
| the military and privileged class Of the empire
And now II ia not uncommon TO hear Japanese
| other than Samurai criticisng the doings OF
| their soldiery and officials. Ten years ago this
| might have been done in private. but certainty
| never in public while thirty years ago d nom
| Samurai would have been very promptly cut
down for presuming to critcise his superiors'
ORIJOIIITY OF JAPANESE MINDS
| All this self criticism and self depreciation Is
| ALI very we'll but certain incidents now occur
| ring in japanese political society must not De
| allowed 10 pass without a reference being mace
| TO them For they show the extraordinary oo-
| uouItv OF some japanese minds. and are typicai
| OF the want of moral integrity in the Japanese
| character. .o. % .ho Mo.
| A certain Mr. Koyama, member or the DIet
and belonging to the Progressive party re-
| ceived 1000 yen in cash and a proInissoiy MI MI
| for like amount from Mr. Oyaihaud d W. W.,
| LnoUn business man on condition that he would
vote for the Land Tax measure tneh o~eIolc ~ t tio
| Diet. though ii was alleged by the honoraoe
| hot
was on condition that he Withdraw from from IN, nrS
| marty and that his voting on the Lana laX DiIi
immateraL At any rate ne az u.a noe
| for the BILL but. on the contrary. voted asalIs'
! II apparently in breach Of the ensdgeiient'
! When afterward he was taxed by ms lrlenos s
| with corruption and bad faith, MT ho!a
| cooiiv replied that as long there were parties
| desirous Of influencing men by bribery So ione
would there be people ready TO accept prIUen,
| and that If every one followed his example
| their actions could not but help diminish cor
| ruption, as 1t would be Ineffective ,
| With this excellent philosophy, Mr. hoyana ala
| nocketed the brbe offered him. but on raining
| ~ got ash for the promissory note he prompt
ly Instituted a civil suit in the TOXIC DlsIrict
| Court against Mr.. Oyamada for the recovery VI
| the sum of 1000 yen. This. II must be acKno"i-
| edged Is pretty bad and, moreover 1t shows
| how rotten is the state of japanese soclety;
The only possible excuse that can oe 1,e9o oueieo
| for Il is that people do not take Mr koyata
| seriously ,,,,. T.,
Mr.. Hoshi Toru. late japanese Minister IN
Washington has. however siar.eo one puO,,e one
~ ntot tbe areat marty politicians of the time and
look to him for light and leading. he is re,
ported to have said at meeting IN a proVIlic'a a
centre that Japan was now In the era o.
bribery that as England had had slmllai
era in the days of Wapole, so Japan had ne
particular reason 10 be ashamed that her turi
had now come, for she was bound to pass through
| all the stages Of parliamentary institutions, ant
therefore members might, II they liked. tak'
brbes wherever they could get them. Natu,
ally enough this reported saying Of Mr.. Hoshi
| has created no little excitement, and what II
| more TO the point, the japanese papers take
seriously enough for hitherto Mr, Hosh ma a.
though he has had ample opportunities ior 81
doing.
Another story also told at Mr Hoshis @ ex
| pense Is that known as the Toxic Tram Com
! pany affair. Some months ago. when Mr.. Hosh
! was in office and responsible for them certain
police regulations were promulgated win
view to regulating the number Of passengers Z
! be carried by each car The tram company
though paying dividends Of over 80 per cent
| retorted by raising the fares The public natur
| ally objected and so heated became the debate
on the subject that the Chief Of Police wa
| called upon by the City Assembly to WITHDRAW
his passenger regulations. as also his sanction
| 10 the schedule OF increased fares. After con
siderable discussion a compromi Sc was effected
| and the increased fares were indorsed by tn
| CITY Assembly condition that the compan
! contributed sum OF 10000 yen. In four an
nual instalments. to the road repairing fun
OF the municipality. Now 1t Is estimated ina
schedule wo aggregate 2OOGO yen In fou
wears So favorable. therefore are these term
10 the tram company that 1t Is concluded tha
they have not been arrived at without som
resource to devious methods.
Again the recent affair Of the Official Ap
pointments Regulations shows that Marqui
Yamagata. the Premier may not only hav
issued the regulations in the interests OF Ger
| tain of his clan nominees but also with viev
TO purchasing the complaisance Of the Libera
party by providing positions for certain mem
bers OF II.
The moral OF all this Is that the public tha
|; | allows IL to go on with impunity must indee
be a corrupt one It is difficult to say whethe
this apathetic attitude shown by japanese so
! ciety to such public matters is Of moder
| growth or an outcome OF ancient custom. A
| any rate there can be no doubt that a Hous
OF Representatives which brought Its session I
| close without taking any official notice tha
| one Of It's members had publicly confessed him
/ self guilty Of corruption. must be corrup