The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-05-08
THE JAPANESE
GOVERNMENT
advertiser Correspondence. Copyright
by Frederic ]. Haskin9

cSc CONSTITUTION passes the government
upon popular representation and III,
viii of the people, and while thes,
forms are rigidly adhered to, Japar
has no such thing as popular govern
ment" in the American Interpretation
Of the phrase. The Constitution limit.
the Imperial power. but at the same
time il declares the Emperor tn bt
/ sacred and inviolable" The Impe,
rial Diet is organized and conducted
along the lines of the parliaments o.
other constitutional monarchies. but 4
reflects the purposes of an oligarchy
rather than the will of the people
The responsibility of the cabinet tc
the lower and popular house of the
Diet is practically admitted. but as
the House is essentially aristocratic
I this fact does not mean that the peo-
/ pie rule. AS a matter of fact, the
great majority Of the japanese pub
lie knows little and cares less about
the affairs of government. The suf-
frage is restricted by property quail
fcations, but even those taxpayers
rho can vote take so little vital in
terest in public affairs that they are
easily corrupted. and hence Japanese
parliamentary elections are auction
sales OF votes. The average amount
spent in brides by successful candi-
dates for the Lower House is said 10
be about 5000 yen. or $500. AS this
sum is widely distributed it is evident
that the average japanese elector does
not place a high estimate upon the
value of his franchise
1t must be admitted that the present
form of government is superior to that
which obtained until fifty years ago,
when not only the Shotgun and the
various Daimyos, or feudal lords, but
even the hosts of Samurai, possessed
the right of life and death over the
common people. Nowadays if one
strikes a coolie he is almost certain
to go to Jail, be his provocation to
anger ever so great. 1t must also be
admitted that the present govern
ment is benevolent in many ways, that
ii respects the natural rights of the
lowest classes, and that it is as a
whole wisely administered. But for
all of that it is not truly popular"
The House of Representatives is
composed of S7s members elected by
male japanese subjects of more than
twenty-five years of age who pay a
direct tax of at least s. a year. Japan
has a population of 100000 people
Of this number only one million is en-
titled to vote. In the United States,
with a population not quite twice as
great as that of Japan, the actual
voters number fourteen times as many
as the japanese electors, and those
entitled to vote would raise the proper
ton much higher. In local affairs, not
only the actual persons who pay taxes
are permitted to vote, but the fran
chise is also extended TO ''juridical
persons" on the lists. Therefore cor
porations have a direct vote. In
Toxic, Viscount Kaneko was elected
a member of the city council. There
was but one tax payer in the ward
entitled to vote, and it was a corpora
ton, the Nippon Yusen Kaisha, or
Japan Mail Steamship Company Wis
count Kaneko received its vote and
was unanimously elected. He did not
live in the ward, and the hundreds of
people who did, had no voice in his
selection.
The general parliamentary elections
are manipulated in the interest of the
ruling oligarchy in many different
ways. Bribery is always in evidence.
Then, too. the government may fix the
date of the election One was to have
been held in April this year, but the
commercial movement for reform was
so strong that the cabinet feared the
result, or feared it would cost too
much to buy the voters when there
was competitive bidding, so the cleo
ton was postponed until June. If the !
outlook is still dark for the ruling !
party another postponement may be /
expected.
The oligarchy which actually rules /
Japan is made up of the leaders of the I
two dominant clans of Choshu and
Satsuma, of the millionaire Mitsui /
family, and of the controlling spirits
IF the army and navy. These inf1u-
snces represent five or six families
which are all powerful by right of ira
iition, and they bow only to the will
# the Emperor. As the Imperial
household is connected intimately in
POLITICAL and business affairs with the
members of this oligarchy, there is
10 friction at the top. Below, people
nay protest and complain as much as
hey like-it makes no difference.
The intelligent business men and
,ublicists of Japan who are not con-
ected with the ruling oligarchy are
unanimous in their protests against
urther impoverishing the nation for
expenditures in unproductive invest {
lents. They do not want war with {
and they do not see the sense
f preparing for a great war If none t
5 expected to be fought.
But the military clique, always as
ertive after war, is jealous of its /
over. If the army and navy cannot
e kept continually before the public I
lind, they will suffer the loss of their Q
opularity, and their places as rulers d
lay be taken by mere politicians.
hey care not how great the burden !!
T the tax payers. They control the i
overnment and the government must e
ay to keep them in the lime light. 2
his is one of the marked danger <
oints of the whole Oriental situation,
IT while Japan is economically I'M !
BILE to stand the strain of another
ar, it is unfortunately governed by
military clique such as has often '
ished a nation into war and then
sunted the cost afterward.
The great mass of the japanese peo- :,
e, those below the rank of voters, :.