The San Francisco call., 1904-04-26

I counter proposals: how Russia in
dulged in the policy of procrastination
and delay, while making warlike prep
arations with astonishing activity;
how japan was compelled to choose
between war or submission; and how
the Government was compelled to
break off negotiations on February 8.
Baron Komura concluded by sub
mitting to the House the text of the
correspondence between himself and
Mr.. Kurino, the japanese Minister at
st. Petersburg, during the process of
the negotiations. a correspondence
which reveals clearly the course of the
negotiations. This was the White Book
made public by the Japanese legations
abroad simultaneously with its pre-
sentation TO the Diet.
At the conclusion of Baron Komura's
address Baron Some, the Minister of
Finance, addressed the House of Rep
resentatives on the subject of the
financial proposals of the Govern
ment. In all, forty-six bills were pre-
sented by the Government to cover
the situation. With one exception
these were the only bills presented dur
ing the session. They were promptly
referred TO special committees and
the work of the session began.
The procedure in the Japanese Diet
is rapid to an extent that is astonish-
ing to one unacGuainted with their
methods and used only to the practices
of our own more deliberate legislative
bodies. No time is wasted at all. If
any man begins to talk about some
No n
of the members they pound their desks
and laugh and talk loudly and keep
up a continual shout of useless" 1t
usually is. The rules provide for three
readings of a bill. AS a matter of
fact, one or two is usually sufficient
These financial bills were settled in
almost every case by the committees.
They were read first upon their pre-
sentation to the House. Upon coming
out of the committee they were read
again. Then the chairman of the
committee reported the opinion and
recommendation of the committee. The
President of the House asked those
who favored the bill to stand up. The
House is divided into sections. and a
President and manager are appointed
for each section. The members are
seated according to their sections.
When vote is taken the secretary of
each section counts those of his men
who stand up. If there is all told
majority the bill is passed; if not, it
fails. The other side is not called.
ACTION UPON BILLS.
There was very little modification of
the Government bills. The proposal for
a tax on salt and silks and woolens
was rejected, and in its place was sub
stituted an increase of the tobacco tax.
This was accepted by the Government,
although it cut down their estimated
revenue about six and a half million
yen. They announced that they would
make I'D this sum by additional ad-
ministrative economies and by divert
ing money from other sources. The
bill authorizing the issue of small de-
nomination savings bonds was amend
ed TO provide that the issue should not
exceed 30,000,0Oo yen in one year and
that the law should remain effective
only during the operation of the spe-
cial tax law. which had been limited
TO one year after the close of the war.
With those exceptions the Government
plan went through unscathed. There
was just enough change to- emphasize
the fact that the Doet could make
changes if 1t so desired
But the real excitement of the ses-
sion was Furnished by matter that
did not originate with the Government.
There was elected to the House of
Representatives Mr.. Akiyama, the edi-
tor of the Niroku Shimpo, a newspaper
of Toxic which has the reputation of
being decidedly yellow. II had the mis-
fortune to publish during the critical
stage Of the negotiations with Russia
ar article evidently in:-ired from Rus
sian sources. which gave the Russian
view of the situation in the Far East
The article appeared simultaneously
with its publication in several other
papers of greater or less Russian pro-
clivity in the Far East 1t attracted
much attention at the time and con-
unfayorable comment upon
the loyalty of the editor or the Niroku
Shimpo. That article alone, however,
BE il ever so humble, there is no place
like home" and the home can be fur