Evening star., 1913-03-12
The CRISIS In JAPAN.
III-TANGLED POLITICS.
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

When Gen. Baron Uehara, minister Of
war. demanded money for 10000 more
men on the pretext of giving Korea very
necessary defense, his superior and
premier, Marquis Saionji was facing a
deficit. of $3,250.O in the annual ex-
pelises, notwithstanding the fact that they
were $7.50O,0O0 lower than the budget
of the year before. All this was aside
from the terrible financial tangle which
was outlined in the preceding article.
The minister also insisted that the re-
duction of from 10 to Is per cent in
all departmental expenditures should
not apply to his department The best
he would agree to was a reduction Of
per cent for period Of three years
only.
titude. but Uehara, instead of resign
ing, voluntarily or under pressure,
stiffened in his tilt with the premier.
This was last September, and at once
the leading newspapers and the gen.
eral public took the side of the premier.
Leading bankers and business men.
who are naturally conservative and
have always supported the ministry
heretofore, also came out against the
stand taken by Gen. Uehara in the face
of the difficulties which faced the
country. Such great financier as
United States as the president of the
party of Japanese business men who
toured the country in 1910, strongly
censured the demands of Uehara.
1t was soon seen, however. that the
entire war party of the empire was be-
hind the minister of war, and that the
all-pOwerful elder statesmen also sup
ported him. Indeed. 1T is still an open
question whether the venerable quintet
did not concoct the Korean proposal
of the navy in popular approval This
has been charged, but not proven The
fight ragged until December 5, when the
premier resigned. leaving the Obdurate
minister of war still in the field, al
though minus his extra troops.
It is an open question whether the
war lords and the elder statesmen ex-
pected Saionjis
Vote of Censure withdrawal and
Passed in House. na.;an @ ~ .gainst %
them which followed. Instead of los
ing by the premier's. act of self-abne-
CATION, the advocates of retrenchment
were strengthened. Saionjfs party, the
constitutional association. massed for
definite action as no other party had
ever done in Japan, and e vote Of cen
sure on the crowns advisers was
passed in the house of representatives
At this point it will be interesting to
glance at the elder statesmen, those
five old men who have been running
Japan, and whose grip has by no means
been effectua11y broken by the present
turn of events. The "'genro," Or elder
statesmen, are a small body of ex-
perienced statesmen and soldiers. who
are appointed by the emperor to. be
his personal advisers They really have
no legitimate place In a constitutional
form of government such as Japan pro-
fesses, but their influence has been
dominant ever since the, restoration in
1868 One reason has been the pre-
eminent qualities OF the men; only the
greatest have been chosen. These men
are among the greatest In Japan to-
day But they are also the most con-
servatiye .standpatters. Hence their
waning influence.
Prince Ito, one of the greatest states
men of his time. judged by any standard,
was head OF the body and president OF
the priVy council. His place is now held
by, Marshal. Prince Yamasata- The other
members. are Marshal Prince -. pyama, VINO VINO
army in the victorious war with Russia
Marquis Inouye and Marshal Matsukata.
The appointment Of Prince Katsura
year ago. to the post OF lord keeper OF the
ur.vy seal and grand chamberlain of the
enlperor's household. operated Sa1tomat-
icaily to add him to the sgenro. A sort
of ex -of1icio member Is Count Watanabe.
an Official OF the 1. imperial household.
They are all old men
ss -. ~ -. 49,