Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-07

torn to pieces by bomb thrown at him
fifteen years ago. Although sixty-seven
years of age, he is in full physical vigor;
! he is as active in mind and muscle as he
ever was. and as an orator has no superior
in Japan. He has taken an active part in
the Commodore Perry memorial movement.
is an ardent admirer of the United States
ocean to be educated in American man.
ners and methods. He is the most promi-
nent and influential advocate of the eman-
cipation of women in Japan and the chief
supporter of the new Women's University.
Inouye a Diplomatist.
Count Inouye is a diplomatist. He has
never occupied a responsible executive posi-
tion but has been intrusted with many deli
cate and important missions and negotia-
lions. He is the most conservative of ad-
visors. the most cunning schemer In the
group, and Is supposed to be the author OF
many plans and enterprises with which his
name has never been publicly fdentihed
When Japan gets into a nasty tangle with
some foreign power Count Inouye is always
sent over to straighten things up. When
the Empress of Korea was murdered by
Japanese socialists some years ago, with
the full knowledge and approval OF the
Japanese minister at Seoul, and Japan was
compelled to face the responsibility. Count
Inouye was hurried to the Korean capital
on a special steamer and by his cunning
responsiveness the Koreans were soon con-
WINGED that the assassination Of their en-
press was a national blessing, and the
friendly relations between the two countries
were restored.
Inouye was one of the first of the young
men who left Japan for foreign educa-
ton DR. w. G. Dickson, in his "Gleanings
From Japan" tells us that while he was
residing under the hospitable roof OF
Messrs. Jardine. MathesOn Co. In Y0ko-
hama in 1862 he discovered four young Jap
in the rdpu. When
he had convinced them of his interest and
sympathy they confessed to him that, being
determined to secure an education ana a
knowledge of foreign lands, they were
seeking an opportunity to escape from
Japan as stowawayS upon vessel that
was sailing for England that very night.
He rOwed them out to the ship himSelf,
persuaded the captain to take them under
his charge, and thus assisted in smuggling
them out of the country without the knoWl-
edge of the officials when such an act was
a crime against the laws of Japan. Count
Inouye was one of those young men. Mar
quis Ito was another Viscount Nomura and
Viscount Inouye were the other two and
all four of them have borne active and con-
spicuous parts in the regeneration of their
country.
Ito the More Forceful
Ito is the most forceful, the most infiu-
entail and the most resourceful of all the
group. At the same time he is the most
III appear dbSc anu tie ilOSt
unpopular He has been called every name
that contempt and hatred can invent; he
has been accused of every crime and mis-
demeanor of which human being could
be guilty. The Japanese language. which
contains forty-eight thousand words. has
not been sufficient to enable his enemies
and opponents to express their dislike for
him. He has been the stormy petrol of
Japanese politics Always a disturbing
element. from the time that he left Yoko
hou hn Of fIn ft,t
bassy sent by the Japanese government to
foreign lands. his influence has been felt
continuously in every branch of the gov
eminent. The emperor is said to hate and
despse him. but whenever his majesty gets
into tight fix Ito is always sent for and
is relied upon to extricate the government
from Its embarra ssment.
Not long ago the emperor determined to
take him out of politics permanently and
harness him to the imperial chariot by
cnering him the highest honor in his
gift-the presidency of the privy council
Ihe privy council of Japan was suggested
by Marquis Ito himself, and was intended
originally as an asylum for superannu-
ated statesmen who could not be other
wise disposed of. 1t has no executive
powers. It's functions are purely advisory
Its membership is permanent and APP
polntmentS are supposed to be made by
the emperor upon the recomm endation of
the minister. All public projects of i'm
portance are submitted to the priyy co,ln-
Gil; all measures pertaining to the i'm
perlal family and the welfare of the ma
tion at large are referred to it and it's
recomendations are supposed to be abso-
lutely diSintereSted and impartial be-
cause its members are all men of long
experience in public life with regulations
1or wisdom, and by accepting their APP
po)ntments remove themselves from
party politics and divest themselves of
all political and personal prejudices and
craftsmanship. member of the priyy
council can never again hold any other
n~in
peror alone.
Ito the More Forceful.
Marquis Ito had become a dangerous
man, and by the organization of a party
or association known as the seiyu-kaf in
iSoo threatened to permanently dominate
the government. AT the most critical mo-
ment the emperor sent for him and ten
dered him the presidency of the nrivv
council, the highest testimonial of I'M
perIal confidence and the greatest honor
IL was In his majestys power to bestow
TO accept was to abandon all noliticai
ambition and to condemn his seiyu-kai
the new party, to death. Ito was in ter
flpie uilenma. He asked an opportunity
Tor reflection. Strange as il NAV Sew
the men whose advice he sought were bjs
llost powerful political adversaries, Yam
asata and Okuma. Such an incident could
o. 1eareeiy occur anywhere but in Japan.
IL was like Roosevelt going to C,Ieveiand
ana Bryan for advice as to his official 81
personal conduct There are saverai a a
pianations OF the motives and induce
ments that governed him, but Ito naSe
h haG sacrlhee; he accepted the RESPONSE
Oily and bowed to the emperors viii
but. before abandoning politics forever bs
seiected MS successor and introduced to the
seiSu. kai as Its leader the MARQUIS saionii
9 J OF the most notable and nobiest Of
Ispansse nopies, man of ancient pedigree
IJ [en n education and thorough culture
ana mas mas spent most of his life in France
on,,, ,.as ohy recently returned to his native
country, where. with abundant means anS
a aoiitine he determined to take up
poitics as vocation. MARQUIS Ito a keap
!udse OF character, immediately att,cbed
me tne young nobieman to himself. and has
peen making good use of the two years thai
they have been together. saionii's abiiitv
s ana poHtlcal leadership have vet to he
tested. and, notwithstanding Jto,s acoant
ans ne OF OF the presidency of the privy COUNCIL
anu ms retirement from politics. 1t is as
sumed by every one that he will confirm.
70 keep an eye upon his successor and offer
him guiding hand. oner
Yamagata the Conservative.
The Marquis Yamagata resembles Lord
salisbury. late prime mjnjstar of E,,