New-York tribune., 1899-07-23
JAPAN'S DANGERS.
PUBLIC ExTRAvAGANcE THAT MAY
LEAD TO BANKRUPTCY.
UNcoNcERN OF PUBLIC MEN AS TO BRlBEHf-
Mr. HosH ToRUs STATEMENT
.-- CASES IN POINT.

II Is difficult to preuict Wnat the iu'uio ""'
In store for the people of the Far East except
that II will be something startling In the case
of both China and Corea there can he but little
douht that annexation by Occidental Powers is
their assured destiny. In the case OF Japan,
bankruptcy Indeed so bad is the economic
condition OF the country that one OF the lead
ing native journals C'Mainichi') devoted to
such matters has Just come out with re-
markably pessimistc article dealing with the
future Of Japan's finances. The gst OF II is
that In the ninth session OF the Diet the sec
ond Ito Cabinet published the so-called decen-
NAL programme for the purpose OF completing
post bellum undertakings. such as Increasing
the armaments of the country with an a1ter
view OF asserting with assured success Japans 3
rights in international matters. especially IN
those arising In the Far East that when laying
this publication before the Diet the Cabinet
assured it that with an Increase OF only
35OOOOOO yen. in the ordinary expenditure
everything would work satisfactorily; but that
men of keen foresight however. did not fail TO
perceive that the declaration made by Marquis
Ito was nothing more than temporary expert
ment resorted to in order to deceive the Diet
and to secure its approval Of the measure
This forecast says the journal. proved only
too true for in the eleventh session dencit or
On 600 600 ven was found; 25000,000 in the next
session. and in the session just closed the def
icit has increased TO 35000.000 yen To tide
over it's difficulties the Government has. during
this last session. been forced to resort to IN
creased taxation, and though II seems to expect
all smooth sailing in the future. yet II most
probably will meet with deficit in the next
session. and a still greater one in each sue
ceeding session.
For. ever since the ninth Diet, the Govern
hoc NJ a tinkerinR nature
throughout. The most noteworthy measure Tor
Increased taxation passed by the late Diet was
the revision of the Land Tax law This. how
ever is only to hold good for hVe years anu
after that the Treasury will be In worse
plight than ever. The article then concludes
with the suggestion that If the Government Is
10 continue to manage the couhtrys finances IN
such a patchy way Japan can hardly escape
bankruptcy within the next few years
MILITARY EXPANSION GOING ON.
This is true. and though such is the and
though it is thoroughly we'll known to the ma
ton yet the armament expansion scheme ap-
proved Of by the japanese Diet in It's 1899 ses-
sion is still being strictly adhered to. Accord
ing to this scheme. the japanese military forces
will in the course Of the next two or three years
number in peace time no fewer than num-
dred and fifty thousand troops with the colors.
and second line of reserves. Two-thirds Of the
whole OF this force. the japanese military au-
thorities aver could be mustered. armed and
eouipped for the field within the space of five
days reckoning from the receipt Of the declara-
ton OF war The navy will in about the same
time be composed of vessels whose aggregate
tonnage will be in the neighborhood OF two
hundred thousand. Three-fourths OF these Will
be thoroughly up to date in all the requisites
OF their class. With such forces. backed by a
remarkably patriotic people in their way, II
would be thought that Japan would not De
averse, should necessity arise. to make good
fight with Russia over the coming Corean ques-
ton especially as she has excellent forts. docks
and arsenals close at hand to the probable seat
of war-Corea and Corean-Japanese waters.
Though such at first might seem to be the
case yet there can be no doubt that the as
sertive spirit for which the Japanese were
30 conspicuous short two years back has con-
eiderably abated The causes for this many.
but II is due to nothing more than to a rather
mawkish spirit OF self inquiry and self deprecia-
ton that the vernacular press Of Japan has
lately given voice to when dealing with inter
national topics. Like everything taken in hand
by the Japanese papers. this subject. too has
been much overdone. Indeed. TO such degree
have they carried 1t that the self-confdence Of
the nation is rapidly giving way to a maudlin
spirit of detection TO the future Of the coun-
try. Many japanese fear that on the coming
into operation OF the new treaties next July
foreigners-that is Occidentals-will flock into
the interior of their country. and. by reason Of
their more masterful ways, their superior
knowledge. capital and business aptitude. sue
coed in getting into their hands all worth gath
ering in the empire in the way Of trade and
business.
Again, in the occupation Of Kiao-C Chau by
Germany OF Port Arthur by Russia, of Wei-Hei-
Wei by Great Britain, and in the annexation OF
Hawaii and the Philippines by the United States
the japanese perceive a disregard. If not con-
tempt shown for their fighting capacity by
those Powers.
BY natural sequence Of thinking out they
attribute this to the possession by those Powers
OF secret information regarding some flaw In
Japan's naval and military preparations. Not
for moment do they doubt the valor Of theii
soldiers and sailors. but they beginning tc
doubt the military knowledge Of their officers
especially OF those holding the higher posts. Fo
these. they now we'll know. have not had a sufi
cheney of that modern education necessary tC
fit them for the handling OF present day scien
tifc instruments of war. and. on the other hand
they constantly hearing OF young officers
being dispatched to Europe and the United
States for purposes OF study. This to them Il
not only proof of the superiority of foreign
naval and military teachers, but of foregl
armies and navies also, so far as the tactica
and scientific knowledge OF their officers
concerned 1t is terribly bitter pill to them
but they are undoubtedly swallowing IT, Sci
criticism is in itself healthy sign, but as sal
before. the Japanese prone 10 go too far IL
their methods Of adopting it.
JAPANESE SUBMISSIVE NOW
And IL is because OF this that at the presen
tuncture the Japanese only too likely to re
frain from fighting. even should Russia decid
upon annexing Corea. likely contingency. in
deed. for Corea. independent under the in
fuence Of Power other than Russia WILL b