The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-09

foreign observer open his eyes is tn
fact that the people have succeeded il
their protest. They not only brough
about the downfall of the Katsurt
ministry in less than two months afte1
its inception, but they did so in tn,
face of an imperial rescript from the
emperor himself. This particular
phase of the situation really is amaz-
ing. Heretofore a rescript from the
throne has been binding law upon the
people, and it has always been sup
posed that not ever a doubt of an EN-
peror's righteousness could be breathed
by any loyal subject of the son of
heaven. All of which goes to show
that the Nipponese have had good
reason for acting violently, and that
they are not so very different from the
rest of mankind in the way they &C
after what they want.
A long, bitter fight for the consti-
%tutional rights is the cause of the
trouble in Japan. The sudden ~effacing
of Prince katSura and the appoint
ment of Admiral Count Yamamoto to
the premiership has not brought COM
plete victory. The people are demand
80 >'N ANA o oAAe ~ ~ Z
affairs guaranteed them by the con-
stitution of 1889, and they are deter
mined that the cabinet shall be more
responsive to the will Of the diet than
to the nod of the emperor. Before sue
cess crowns their efforts they must
crush clan influence, and on the other
hand they must make worthy the
rather unworthy diet which they
would exalt.
The insistence of the army on two
new divisions, or 40, 900 men for ko-
rean defense, in the face of the ma
tons virtual bankruptcy, was the i'm
mediate cause of the recent upheaval.
Other elements We're the rivalry be-
tween the army and navy, the hoary
fued between the Choshu and the Sat
suma clans, and the growth of party
politics. The waning influence of the
elder statesmen and the fact that the
new millado does not command the
worship so freely given to his father,
also are factors. But the movement
for greater liberty is the prime agency,
and it will be well to consider for a
the constitution which the
people wish to strengthen and the gov
ernmental forms which that document
set up for them nearly a quarter of a
century ago.
While Mutsuhito, the late emperor,
was put on the throne in 1868, thus re-
storing the imperial family to power,
and starting the country on the road
to progress, a constitution was not
granted until February II, 1889. It is
modelled after that of the German en-
pire, the ministers being responsible
only to the emperor, with consequent
in ignoring the diet, which
has been done frequently. The en-
peror's prerogatives are:
l. Right of convoking, opening, clos
ing or proroguing the imperial diet,
and Of dissolving the house of repre-
sentatives.
2. Right of issuing any urgency
ordinances when the imperial diet is
sitting, to be submitted to it for
approval at he next session.
3. Right of issuing or causing to be
issued the ordinances required for
putting the laws in operation, or for
peace and order. ,
4. fuSnt or taxing the supreme COM
mand of the army and navy, and of
the organization of the
5. Right of declaring war, making
peace and concluding treaties.
6. Right of determining the organi-
cation of the governmental depart
.ent, limiting the functions and fix
ing the salaries of civil and military
officials.
7. Right Of comforting titles of no.
oilty, honors n decorations, and to
pardons and DEGREES of amnesty.
The usual executive, legislative and
judicial divisions are provided, the
'irst and last named appointive, while
legislative is elective. The suf-
is limited. The people elect all
members of the house of represent
:atives, but only 43 of the 81 members
If the house of peers, and they are
'hosen by a select group of wealthy
in each electoral district.
The upper body of the imperial diet,
he house of peers, is composed of IA
princes of the blood, 10 princes, 80