The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-03-29
AsToRIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THE ELDER STATESMEN.

'sThe five wise men OF Japan is the uue
of an interesting article in the Examlner
by Helen A. Gardner, who is in Toxic for
the San Francisco paper. We Americans
hear much about the elder statesmen, as
they are called, but have only vague idea
of their functions. The Examiners writer
says of them:
1t may be as well to explain what is meant
by the elder statesmen, who must be con-
stantly referred to in all affairs connected
with the policy and control of Japan. They
are not members of the cabinet. They hold
no fixed Office but they are in sense above
both the cabinet and the official staff.
There are five of them at the present time
They are the ex-prime ministers who have
served Japan with wisdom and loyalty in
the past in Office.
Upon their retirement from Office it is
felt that the country has need of their ac-
cumulated wisdom, and she retains them as
advisers to the emperor; himself a very
able man, deeply revered and beloved
by his subjects who believe him to be the
ablest and most incorrupaible ruler on the
earth.
1t is as if our ex-secretaries of state, war
and finance, who had served with marked
distinction and ability, irrespective of
party could be called at any time as advis-
ers to and with the president in his recon-
mendations to the cabinet and to congress.
The system is designed to hold for the ma
ton its ripest wisdom and enlist in her be-
half, to the end of their lives the loyal ad-
vice and help Of her strongest and best
equipped men.
At the present time they are Marquis Ito,
Marquis Yamagata, Count Matsukata, Mar
quis Oyama and Count Inouye.
So hesitant have the emperor, these elder
statesmen and the cabinet been to resort to
arms in their contest with Russia that many
Of the stronger young men have blamed
them bitterly and felt that their course
would subject Japan to the contempt of
the nation, who would get the idea that she
was weak, vacilliating or afraid.
Out of the situation grew the extraordi-
nary reply, by the newly elected president
of the diet, to the emperor at the convening
of that body a few weeks ago-the first time
that such thing ever happened in Japan.
Some Of the radical men wanted to make
sure that the emperor was not misled by the
counsel of too conservative body of ad-
visers so that he did not realize the existing
sentiment of the people. They took that
method of calling his personal attention to
what they believed to be the demands of the
country.
AS all the world knows the result was the
instant dissolution of the diet before all Of
its members had been even sworn in, some
having delayed en- route from their homes
This drastic action of the emperor has
undoubtedly enabled the cabinet to conduc
its diplomatic work on the lines felt by thu
emperor and the elder statesmen to be wis
est and most hopeful in the interest Of {
peaceful conclusion of the negotiations; or
if war mnst be the result, to prove to tn,
world that Japan had done all in her powe
to avert it.
Meantime one often hears the anxiou
and sincere question from the younger men
"What does your country, what do tn
strong foreign countries, really think o
Japan's delay? She has waited two year
for Russiato keep her solemn pledge. Doe
not your country think that is weak?"
But then it is not upon them that weigh
the great, the terrible responsibility of stril