The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-11
by FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

Tokyo.
Japan is on fire with politics from
one end to the other. for this is a great
campaign year In the Land OF the Ris-
ing Sun just, as 1t is in the United
States A new Diet is to be elected
in June and for the first time IN the
eighteen years that Japan hN had
parliamentary government there Is a
red no. Issue OF principle at stake.
Heretofore election to the Diet has
been merely a matter of personal fol-
lowing. petty factionalism and bribery.
Now come the commercial interests OF
the nation demanding a seat at the
council table where they have never
been represented. In old Japan the
people were divided into four classes.
and the lowest OF these Were the mer-
chants. Commerce was looked upon
as degrading. and the ambition to make
money was nothing short of criminal
| The chambers OF commerce OF the
country recently organized united
| chambers, and memorialized the gov
eminent in opposition to the increase
this protest they were Joined By the
| labor organizations The government
called the leaders on the carpet and
told Them that the chambers of COM
merce were business organizations.
and that II they so far forgot them
charters would be revoked. Where
upon the chambers withdrew: but
| every individual member in every city
began at once to conduct an individual
campaign for the election of n member
| in the Diet who would represent the
commercial interests, regardless Of po-
| litical party lines.
| Political parties as they are known
but they probably will be called into
| being by this very campaign. When
| the parlia government was
first granted. the necessity for stand
Inc together for the new form Of ad-
ministration made party divisions dan
gerous. and Prince Ito. the George
| Washington of Japan, frowned upon
them The cabinets were made up OF
ministers from every important fac
tion. This condition continued nomi-
nally until quite recently. and while
cabinet was really a party affair.
| 1t was not until few months ago
that all the ministers were actually
OF oneAgroup. The cabinet headed by
called the Seiyukwai. or Constitution
alists, the first exclusive control of
| the government by party. That It's
hold is only by sufferance is shown by
| the fact that 1t can muster but III
votes out of the total of ar in the
lower house. and must always have at
| least twenty -four votes from the other
party groups or from the Independents.
The strength OF the other parties is:
The Shimpoto. or Progressists ninety
kowai, ttirty-fve and Independent,
1 twelve. In the House of Peers there
is no party division.
These so-called parties have no ex-
| istence In fact outside of the lower
house Of the Dict. Members are re-
turned from the various districts for
/ one reason or another. and their party
alignment Is fixed after they get to
bribery and corruption, and 1t is mo-
I torious that there are many members
of the lower house, IN fact. a whole
group of them. who may be had by
the highest bidder: and In no other
cded that Japan Is to have govern
ment by party cabinets responsible to
the Diet. 1t Is becoming important
that the corruption in the Parliament
be purged. and that the people them
and principles OF political organiza-
tons as we'll as of individuals.
!; This interest Is being aroused by
newspapers, SO that in the elections
this summer candidates will declare
their party affiliations in a much more
distinct fashion than has been done
heretofore, and the people. will begin
the Japanese are following closely the
trend of early American history.
When our government under the Con-
stitution was first organized, Presi-
dent Washington. as did Prince Ito.
feared the effect Of party dissension
at a time when It was necessary for
all hands to pull together to save the
!, Constitution Itself. Therefore he In
vited into his Cabinet Alexander Ham
ilton and Thomas Jefferson, the lead :
ers OF the two schools of thought In
the country. although their followngs
were not ''parties" as the term is un-
derstood in these days.
, Questions essential to the very ex-
istence of the government We're upper
most for years the party algnments
(: were made mainly at the Capitol and
, the congressional caucus ruled just S
the parliamentary caucus rules in ia
good feeling" resulting from strong
foreign policy which united all fac
: tons. In Japan this era came imme-
dately upon the heels OF a war; In the
United States 1t was some, little time
: after the second war with England,
1 The greatest event of that era In
3 American history was the promulga-
! tion of the Monroe doctrine, america
: for Americans" In the same era In
: Japan the Japanese Monroe doctrine
of asia for tho Asiatlcs" made Its APP
. pearance.
In the United States the peaceful
4 era of no parties was followed nv the
!, most bitter political battles of our
3 history. and under the administration
: of Andrew jackson. oolitical rarties
came into being as they are known
: to-day, the party convention was In
? vented and since that time the voter
. has not asked "Whois lle?" but What
AS hap rharstora japan Is inst aA-