The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-06
JAPANESE ARE GIVING
LITERALLY TO WAR FUND
Large Contributions to Charities
Besides Big Subscriptions to
National Bonds.
NEW DIET POPULAR BODY

TOXIC, March 5.-Subscriptions TO the
war bonds, gifts to the new fund and con-
tributions to war charities have been ex-
ceedingly large. The subscription list for
the issue of the first 100000 900 yen Of war
bonds. which closes on March TO- will be
oversubscribed.
The soldiers relief society which is be-
ing promoted by Counts Matsugata and
Inouye, report subscriptions approaching
one million yen. Donations totalling a
quarter of million yen already have been
paid to the war fund. Hundreds OF appli-
cations have been made for permission
to contribute to the coming army and
navy relief funds, the amounts offered
making a total of $4,000 yen. The
ladies' patriotic society, largely COM
posed of peeresses and the wives of
mobiles, is raising fund in aid of. the Red
Cross. The latter society already possesses
a large fund and an extended organization
in Japan.
The session of the Diet opening March IS
will last only ten days. During the session
the war credits will be submitted. Immedi-
ately following the adjustment the Mkado
will leave Toxic for Kioto.
elections show that over one hundred new
members were elected. The large increase
of the independent membership is regardd
as a favorable sign. OF late years the Diet
has been composed largely of politicians
and popular interests and confidence i'm it
decreased. The Diet, in consequence has
ceased to be the great representative body
the constitution proposed. Political issues
have caused pickering and frequent dis
solutions, making the government party an
oligarchy instead of constitutional adj
miniStration. The war has revived interest
in national affairs and the new Diet is re-
garded as an Improvement on its immediate
predecessor.
An Australian steamer which has ar
rived at Hakodate from Vladivostok, re-
ports that the Russian squadron left Vladi-
vostok on Feb. 90 1t is presumed to be
cruising in northern waters, with the hope
of capturing japanese merchantmen. An
other report says that two Russian war
ships have been seen off Usude bay Ad-
vices from Hakodate do not mention any
attacks on northern ports.
The steamer Ekaterinoslav, of the Rus
sian volunteer feet, which has been fitted
up auxiliary cruiser, the steamer
Manchuria, belonging to the Chinese East
ern Railway Company, the schooner Sliep-
ner and the steam launch Ulide have been
declared prizes of war by the naval court
at Sasebo. The decision OF the court is
subject to appeal within thirty days.
The Emperor of Korea has sent the Mika-
do cordial reply TO his personal message
assuring the former that war with Russia
was declared solely with the view of secur-
ing permanent peace, and expressing the
sincere wish that the protocol recently
concluded between Japan and Korea will
increase the intimacy of those two coun-
tries. The Korean ruler appears deter
mined to maintain friendly relations with
Japan.
The British minister at Seoul is pressing
the Korean government to define the ex-
tent of the district included in the open
port of WIFI, on the Yalu river, to COM
merce of the world.