Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05
The Campaign is Now in Full
Blast.
PARTIES IN THE FIELD
WISDOM OF THE RESTRICTION OF
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
The Speakers Latitude-Methods Of
Securing Votes-Constitution
Will Probably Control.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
YOKOHAMA June I, 1902.
Although tie parliamentary elections do
not take place until the first week in Au-
gust. the campaign is in full blast. Tu-
multous meetings, the polemics of the press
and the orgies of the Konshinkwai, or
meetings of warm friendship are to be
encountered on every side. Japan, deter
mined to be modern in everything, over
does the matter Of modernity in her poll
tics. Like a good many other things here,
the political parties are still in formative
state, and are, therefore, wanting in def
mite programs. But do not suppose for an
instant that this fact lessons their agrees
siveness. There are Independents (who are
independent only in name), constitutional
lists progressives and imperialists, and the
partisans of each of these parties vie with
each other in the ardor of their campaign
ing. But, as matter of fact. they repre-
sent little more than the attachment of
groups to certain personalities
Restricted Suffrage.
The foreigner is not here long before he
realizes that high political wisdom was dis
played by those who so effectively shackIed
the parliamentary regime. now in its ex-
perimental state, partly by the limitation
OF the suffrage and partly by making the
ministers responsible only to the mikado
To be an elector 1t is necessary to be
twenty-five years Of age and to pay $40
direct tax, licenses not included; to be ELI
gible for election to Office the same tax
is required. and it is necessary to be thirty
years of age. There are less than a mil
lion males in Japan who satisfy all these
requirements, and the number of voters is
accordingly restricted to less than one in
every forty members of the total popula-
ton.
This is a sufficiently large number. how
ever. to make Japan the most exciting ma
ton In the world in election times Imrne-
dtately upon the closing of a session the
principal orators of each sroup divide them
selves into small bodies and disappear to
conquer the opinion of a new district or to
strengthen that Of one which yacillates
There Is nothing more interesting than
these political meetings In the country. In
any improvised place, tavern or theater a
are reserved for the police. and in front
are the stenographers. whose trade is no
sinecure when one considers that the sum-
mum of eloquence consists in pronouncing
the greatest possible number of syllables
In the minimum of time. In the middle
small, low table covered with a cloth. and
having on 1t stone teapot and a glass
awaits the orator or orators. Of which |
have seen as many as twenty-eight Be
hind, long white streamers carry the name
Of the speakers and the subject to be de-
veoped
The Campaign Speakers.
The speaker arrives and bows to the
spectators. who do not stir. and then the
storm breaks 1 one day heard a Young
and fiery debutant forget himself so far
as to shout to the public: Yes, gentlemen,
such minister is a thief" The police
man. VINO up to this time had heard with
out moving many sarcasms thrown in his
M q x,ithfr
said few words in a low voice to the
orator. Gentlemen,' the latter replied.
the chief of police requests me to retract
the WORD which l have just spoken. AL
thoug the word of the sage should never
re,enter, let US make concession; let us
take back the word and keep the idea"
This sally was followed by great applause
and cries of bravo"
The Konshinkwai. or "meetinps tn warn,
friendship, rage violently. for Japanese
philosophers know that the gratitude of
the stomach is one of the most solid in the
world. Liquor is plentifuIly imbihed the
food is forgotten, faces become infismed
the eyes bloodshot. cries mingle, and the
meetings become a bacchanalian orgy in
the midst OF dances and enraged howls.
The elections are under the control of the
Soshf. The Soshi OF the present time are
the descendants in a direct line of the IA
nous Ronin of the feudal epoch. The i'm
perlal restoration has not suppressed the
Ronin, 1t has transformed him into tha
Soshi. The latter Is mimic of the former
and, not being able to live independently
and by adventure. they have attached
themselves to private persons and political
parties. receiving regular pension or at
least subsistence and support. In return
they are the servants for all delicate and
difficult work, and at the time of he cleo
lions each candidate has an armed guard
of these men, who keep watch over him
guaranteeing him from any assault that
might be attempted by the Soshi Of the ad-
verse party Armed simply with a cudgel
or blade prudently concealed in hol-
low cane. they visit the electors at their
homes. and by means of promises or intimi-
dation buy their votes. The day of the
ballot arriving. they drag the reluctant
voters to the mayors office. and, for fear
of trickery they guard the ballot box and
escort the officer who carries it to the chief
place. If on the way they encounter their
adversaries bloody battles follow.
Expensive for the Candidates.
Elections are relatively very expensive
for the candidates. 1t is estimat ted that the
cost Is between $1,000 and $1,000, for, indie
pendently Of the travelling expenses, the
drink money and the banquets, the votes
are expensive. Before the law of 1896 on
electoral corruption 1 have seen votes
raised from $3.50 to $500, and even more,
according to the candidate and the dis
trict. 1t Is also true that, once sure of
their commission. the deputies seek to re-
secret
funds which the minister uses to obt ain a
majority. This Is not surprising when one
considers that the salary of a deputy is but
sl056.
That corruption and bribery is common
In election times no one will deny and yet
l doubt If it is more common than in some
cities of the United States. And here. as
well as there, there are a large number of
people who condemn the dishonest prac-
tees of the politicians as holly as they are
condemned in any part of the world At
the corner of the fire where they smoke
their pipes and warm their bare legs the
coolies and the kurumaya discuss the acts
of the government and the misdeeds of the
deputies and there Is no doubt that the
time of universal suffrage and Of the aboli-
tion Of ministerial responsibility will
come, and that Japan will know days of
great agitation. Is it necessary to go
further and say that Japan will sweep
aside royalty and try a republican form OF
government? Many believe it. but. in any
case, there Is little proba bility that the pres
ent emperor, who granted the constitu-
tional charter OF 1889, will be present al
the dawn of this revolution, Who will dare
to say as much for his successor. the young
prince imperial? The japanese seem to ig-
the fact that ideas lead people, and
that they have absorbed ideas from every
source
How the coming elections will result no
one say with any degree of certainty;