Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-18
Despotic Power Given Up.

pubic AFFAIRS, ana on April L louoWlilS
gave self government to every community
in the empire.
Despotic Power Given Up.
There is no parallel in history of such an
act. Never before has absolute mon
arch voluntarily yielded despotic power,
and. in this case it was inherited from
twenty-five centuries of ancestors unques-
toned There was no revolution, no COM
pulsion, no demand on the part of the peo-
pie, but the blessing of constitutional lib
erty for which millions of people in other
parts of the world have fought and died
was conferred upon Japan from sublime
sense of justice. as a recognition of the
rights of man, and the spirit of progress.
In the presence of the imperial family, the
peers mobiles and high functionaries of the
empire. the chosen representatives or the
people composing the first parliament, and
the members of the diplomatic corps, the
emperor stepped from his throne, and hand
ed to the minister president of state a
roll of parchment, inscribed with the con-
stitution of the empire of Japan. This
document recognizes the sanctity of the
imperial title, and his majesty remains AS
before the source of all power and law,
but his responsibilities in the exercise of
these functions are now shared by parlia-
ment and only in the presence of great
emergency, to protect the public safety
and to preserve the empire, can he sus-
pend the acts Of parliament. Even then
Immediately after 1t next assemblies. On
the other hand, the laws of parliament are
subject to the approval of the emperor.
Thus honors and responsibilities are even,
and one Is a check upon the other.
Having received this much civil liberty,
the people of Japan soon began to demand
more and for the last ten or twelve years
the extension of parliamentary power and
authority has been the live political issue.
Demands of the People.
large portion Of the population demand
that the ministry of Japan shall be ac-
countable to parliament instead Of to the
emperor. as at present. In other words,
they demand that the English system
should be adopted in order that public
policy may conform more closely to and
be governed by public sentiment that the
house of deputies being elected by the
people. shall be accepted as their repre-
sentatives, and that majority of that
body by and through ministry sympa-
thizing with it's views shall frame and
carry out the policy Of the government and
exercise complete executive control over
its affairs They are willing that the en-
peror shall retain many of his present
people as expressed at the polls, instead
of the Judgment Of their hereditary sover-
eign. shall control the destiny of the nation.
At present the members of the cabinet
and Of the privy council are appointed and
removed by the emperor and are RESPONSE
HE to him alone, while he stands between
them and the parliament and is held &C
countable theoretically for their acts. The
awe and sanctity attending the imperial
person among the people have prevented
the house of deputies from exercising its
will. as II might have done If the govern
ment were directed by creatures of ordi-
nary clay, of which cabinets are commonly
composed Several times has there been a
majority against the government. and the
chamber Of deputies has often been the
scene Of most exciting incidents. But the
onnosition is divided into 30 many factions
that II ia difflcult to unite them upon any
distinct line Of policy, and by series Of
rama rIa bile condolences something has oc-
cmrred to unite the nation in support of the
snnnaror whenever an acute crisis has been
raached In his relations with his parlfa-
ment.
A Charge Generally Believed.
It has frequently been asserted, and it is
generally believed that the declaration Of
war against China in 1895 was a desperate
resort adopted to prevent the triumph of
parliamentary government. The constitu-
tion would certainly have been amended
and the ministry would have been made
accountants to the chamber Of deputies
that very session had not the war oc-
CURED. for by an appeal to their patriot
fsro an overwhelming and determined ma
ioritv against the emperor was brought
simultaneously to his support All party
differences were forgotten. all policies con-
trary to his own were suppressed, and
every citizen Of Japan. in and out Of pol
itics became an earnest supporter OF an