The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-25

promised his people a constitution. a
promise which was not finally fulfilled
until 1889.
The fervor of patriotism that re-
stored to the emperor his original au-
thOrfty wrought wonders in Japan. The
feudaI lords came forward and volun-
tarily turned their vast estates over to
the emperor and relinquished the au-
thOrity which they had exercised over
their tenants. Then they Joined with
the samurai (their former retainers)
in supporting the emperor in abOlishing
all social distinctions. From that day
to this the country has grown more
and more democratic, the reforms
working from the upper classes down.
In 1889 the constitution promised by
the emperor was promulgated. 1t was
prepared largely by Marquis Ito, who
visited Germany and modelled the doc
ument after the PTussian constitution
The legislative power is vested in d
diet consisting of two houses, one re
sembling the English house of lords
and the other resembling our house of
representatives. The upper house is
composed of princes Of the royal blood.
marQuises (these sit by virtue of their
rank. counts, viscounts and barOns,
selected from among their respective
classes, men Of erudition or distin-
guished service appointed by the en-
UerOr. and one representative from
each prefecture of state selected by the
highest tax payers. The members of
the diet. except those who sit by virtue
of their rank, receive 1000 yen $4,000
per year. The members of the house
| of representatives are divided among
| the states in proportion to the number
| OF franchise holders; last year they
numbered 323 and were voted for by
10000 franchise holders These fran
/ chise holders numbered less than 10
per cent OF the men of voting age
! there being property qualification
which excludes from suffrage more
than nine-tenths of the adult males.
The emperor appoints the governors
! of the various states, and these need
not be selected from the states over
which they preside The emperor has
/ the right TO cOnvoke and prOTogue the
diet and to dissolve the house of repre-
| sentatives: he also mas the right to
! issue urgency ordinances when the
/ diet IS not in session, the same to be
! submitted Tor approval TO the next
/ session.
! The constitution contains a bill of
rights. Among other rights the Jap
/ anese subjects shall enjoy freedom of
religious BELIEF within limits not
prejudicial to peace and order and not
antagonistic to their duties as sub
]
/ they shall enjoy the liberty of speech
writing, publication, public meeting
! and association" (After the Toxic
riots which followed the announce
ment Of the treaty with Russia an
urgency ordinance was issued re-
/ straining the press and certain news
! papers were suspended under this or
dinance, but it is probable that this
urgency ordinance Will be vigorously
/ 81
Fdiet)
The emperor is assisted in the dis
/ charge of his executive duties by a
I Prime minister and nine department
ministers: besides these he has the ad-
vice of a privy council, composed of
elder statesmen. of which Marquis Ito
( is now the president
Each state has what corresponds to
our legislature, and each city has a
council. Both of these bodies are
elective and to the city council is en-
trusted the selection Of the mayor.