New-York tribune., 1901-05-05
THE JAPANESE CRISIS.

The resignation Of the Japanese Ministry Is
an incident in an act Of political transformation
in that country second only 10 the revolution
which overthrew feudallsn and established a
constitutional government Hitherto there has
been no party government, with a Cabinet
responsible 10 the elective branch Of Parla-
ment, but the Satsuma and Choshui clans have
dominated the government and the Emperor
has made and unmade cabinets at will Some
four years ago, however Marquis Ito. one of
the ablest statesmen in Japan, became con-
vinced Of the advantages of such system as
that Of Great Britain. and. finding a majority
against him in the House OF Representatives on
an important issue, resigned the Prime Minis
try, just as an English minister would have
done, and advised the Emperor 10 send for"
the leader Of the opposition 10 form a new
Cabinet. The Satsuma and Choshui clansmen
In the House of Peers ragged at him for so doing
and vowed vengeance upon him for what they
deemed his treason 10 the clans But the shrewd
Emperor took his advice and sent for" Count
Okuma. The latter did not follow in MARQUIS
Ito's footsteps, and his Cabinet was not sue
cessful. He gave way to Marquis Yamagata
one of the best men in Japan but he too failed
70 stand by the principle of party government
When he went out of office last year MARQUIS
Ito was recalled by the Emperor-who, by the
way, most heartily approves his theory Of party
government-and commissioned TO carry
out the reforms he had planned in 1897
Then the clan storm broke. The Satsuma
and ChOshui clansmen In the House of Peers
set about wreaking the vengeance they had
sworn. Their chance came on the war budget
al the beginning of last March. II was, because
of the extraordinary expenses of the army in
China during the Boxer troubles, necessary TO
Ia
accomplished Finance Minister, proposed a
scheme which met with the approval of all par
ties in the House of Representatives But 10
the surprise of everybody, the House of Peers
dominated by the clansmen, rejected it, There
was no criticism Of IT, no attempt 70 amend IL
or 10 condemn il because Of objectionable feat
ures and no suggestion Of a substitute for il
The clansmen simply rejected IT, and thus
refused the government the most necessary
supplies for no other reason in the world than
that they wanted to get even with Marnuis
Ito for his abandonment of the clan system. and
that they wanted 10 oppose TO the bitter end
the establishment of responsible party govern
ment. IL was the more awkward a situation
because Marquis Ito had been recalled 10 office
too suddenly 10 perfect the organization of n
government party or even 10 gather about him
such Cabinet as he wished. Nevertheless. he
..
last two months the battle has been raging
Marquis Ito has the support and confidence of
the Emperor and of large majority of tba
House OF Representatives, and will probably
win the conflict
This deadlock between the two houses of Par
lament does not resemble one between Lords
and Commons in Great Britain but rather ono
between Senate and Representatives here. For
the House Of Peers at Toxic is not chamber of
hereditary mobiles. There are a few such I'm II
and some others who elected by their clans
There are many other members nominated bv
the Crown. and some forty-ive elected by the
heaviest taxpayers of the empire The stand
ard OF ability and efficiency is actually much
higher In the House Of Peers than in the House
OF Representatives. Hitherto there has never
is no difference between them now on any
essential point Of policy or principle save that
OF party government, which the Representatives
iaVor and which the ciansmen of the Peers
oppose IL VIII not be at all surprising II n
soiunon or the problem shall be sought In dis
sointion OF Parliament and an appeal TO the
country The result of general election would
10 al probability be a STRENGTHENING of Marnuis
i'os position in the House OF Representatives
III the lace OF which popular verdict the sinh
porn ciansmen might yield II they did M,
tney would have to be left to the slow nrocassss
., une ana TO the not inconsiderable power Of
4 'ne emperor. There can be no doubt that IN