The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-16
QUIET TIMES
NOW IN JAPAN

/ YOKOHAMA, Feb. 19.-There has
been an unwonted quiet in Japan of
late, the earthquakes having ceased
from troubling and politics being at
rest The present session of the diet
promises to be the most uninteresting
in the whole course of its history, the
opposition having practically vanished
from existence. 1t is the custom of Jap
anese politicians, whenever any one OF
them happens to differ. from his party,
on even the most petty details, to Sc
.cede and form a new party consisting
largely of himself. This utter lack of
fcohesiveness has been demonstrated of
late in the dissolution of Count Oku-
mas once strong party called the Pro-
gressionists. On a single point of eco
nomic policy the Count agreed with the
dominant party in the diet, whereupon
his followers largely deserted him, and
there is now no political organization
save that controlled by Marquis Ito, the
Premier.
/ The peace preliminaries in China
have now been signed so many times
that grave doubt is cast upon the prob
ability of their ever having been signed
at all. The discussion of them is, at
any rate, considered to be practically
il open and the trend of opinion in Japan
seems to be strongly in favor of more
lenient terms. 1t is recognized that
great injustice viii be wrought if the
indemnity demands are made too
heavy, especially in view of the fact
that the chief burden of payment will
be placed upon the people of the south
of China, who are not only not respon-
sible for the outbreak, but who kept
order and peace during its course and
prevented what would otherwise have
been a frightful war, not only deVAs
tating China itself but embroiling all
Europe. Instead of an indemnity being
laid upon the industrious and peace
loving South, it would seem but just
that the Western nations should best
bestow upon it some token of grateful
appreciation.
Everyone here is struck by the ex-
ceedingly moderate and reasonable tone
Of the Chinese reply to the demands of
the powers. II consists simply in a re-
quest for more explicitures in detail in
order to avoid further misunderstood
ings. It must be admitted that when
the demands We're formulated it was
matter of surprise that they We're in
such loose shape to leave room for end
less dispute. 1t is now equally surpris-
ing that the Chinese should be the first
to call attention. to this looseness, in
stead of allowing it to stand as furnish
ing occasion for the exercise of those
diplomatic dribblings in which they are
such acknowledged experts. 1t is no.
ticeable also that no protest is made
against the prohibition. of the importa
ton of arms, or against the armed oc-
cupation of North China by the powers;
there is only a request that limit of
time be put to the prohibition and that
the number of troops be fixed and their
stations designated. 1t would be diff
cult to deny the "sweet reasonableness''
of such request.
The opinion is strongly expressed
that by far the better plan for the pow
ers would have been to simply insist
upon change of the capital to some
point more accessible in case of danger
to foreigners or TO the legations. That
would have solved the whole difficulty
as to the necessity of armed occupa-
ton.