The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-20
ny FnEDERIc ). HAslS1N. !,

unique ii modern sssteeraft. the eidsr
statesmen of Japan exercise an In
Affairs OF their country. This remark
able group Of old men has no legal
status and ID their existence y not. re-
government Z, They are the suryiyors
fifty years ago undertook to bring
their country into the family OF ma
Western civilization. The Japanese ma
ton recognizes their success and de.
fers to them in all questions Of great
the American nation might defer to-
day to the opinions of George Wash
ington. BENJAMIN Franklin, Thomas
Jefferson and. Alexander HAMILTON
those men were still in the land OF the
living,
The Genro. rs the Elder Statesmen
group Is called in Japanese. is not
sharply defined. Historically co 3I,,,
men as ssi Eider Statesmen but, n recent
four. Prince Ito, Prince Yamagata,
Marquis Matsukatq and Marquis Inenye
Marshal Printe Oyama is q military
man. and he declined to sit In tho pol!-
teal conclayes OF the denro: Count
Historically. but he has been for many
years the leader OF the opposition in
Japanese politics. and, therefore. has
not participated In the work OF the
Elder Statesmen as group.
The domestic revolution which pro-
sduced modern Japan was not the work
of any one. great leader. but the stimuli
.taneous action. Of a great many young
long accumuating dissatisfaction at
home, and TO the newly felt pressure
from abroad.
The leaders OF the revolution which
the Emperor to actual, as well as
nominal power, were Okubo. KIDD and
saigo.. They have all passed away
but the SIX LYING Elder .n,,t Statesmen ,tes
the early days. and afterwards bore
the brunt OF the political battle which
resulted in constitutional form OF
government.
Elder Statesmen are Prince Ito and
Count Okuma. the one supreme In
position. Prince Ito is better known
to foreigners than any other Japan
ese statesman. He is now nearing the
sixty-eighth mile-p post of life. and Is
tor of cabinets and closest personal
adviser to the Emperor. In 1853, when
he was twenty-five years old he
cvaded the AUTHORITIES and escaped
with Count 1nouSc. another OF the Nv
ing Elder Statesmen. Both were dis.
guised as sailors. They were provided
with plenty, Of money When they left
home. but they sambied with tho sail.
ors on the way, and when they arrived
in London they had but one silver dol
lar. Ito, always master of the art OF
shifting, responsibility for dangerous
undertaking, sent Inouye out with the
dollar to buy something to eat He
went into bakers shop and not
a loaf Of bread and held up his dollar.
The shop woman gave him the loaf.
took the dollar and ended negotiations:
The two boys lived on this loaf Of
friends, who knew of their mission.
| found them wandering about London.
when Ito came came home he found him M
| for his English learning. and the for
eigncrs at the ports distrusting his In
| tentions. But the. great KIDD trusted
| him and invited him into the councils
| of those men who were about to bring
on the revolution. When the Shotgun
was overthrown and the Mikado came
for the. boy Emperor. when no first
/ saw the representatives of the foreign
| powers in 1868: the first occasion in
an unbroken history of $500 years tina I
the, rlsht. Of embassy; i was Ito who
of the imperial edict which granted
to the Japanese people voice IN COY,
tho signature of the NIikado. the first
time In all history that the name OF
on Emperor Of Japan had been written
during his lifetime.
1t was Ito who wrote the constitu-
| ton by which Japan is governed to-
day, and 1t was Ito who guided the
1 ship of state through tho storms OF
| the wars with China and Russia. He
retired once, but the late war again
brought him into activity, and he is
now conducting the affairs OF Japan
lin Korea, acting as acknowledgement
and practically autocrat of tho effete
| Korean empire. In this long career.
Ito has filled every office Of Importance
tracted hundreds Of people this after
moon, as 1t lies near the trolley lire