The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23

The distress and pauperism which
comes from the high cost of living and
comparatively low wages are fomented
land increased by the yellow journals. A
large socalistic element has grown up.
and it is from this that we hear the de-
mands for war with China and with the
United States. The socialistic party is
rapidly increasing, and the indications
ARE that the emperor and the older states
men cannot long hold the masses In
check. When / was in Japan, prior to
the breaking out of war between Japan
and Russia, l was conhdentially told that
Japan would have to do something in
order to take the attention of the people
away from local troubles, and to keep
them from demanding a greater share in
the government. The same conditions
prevail now. and they may result in the
other countries The Japanese Russian
war was largely undertaken by the Jap
anese to keep their own people in order.
Take the assassination of Mr.. Abe, the
high japanese official who advocated
moderation as to the troubles in Cali
made upon China.
This was brought about by the mob, and
1t may be that his death was decreed by
some of the secret societies of the So.
cialistic set. Mr.. Abe was assassinated
as he was about to go into his own house.
Two men grabbed him and one held his
arms while the other stabbed him in the
stomach, and performed upon him what,
had he done it himself, might be called
. hari-kiri.
One of the assassins is said to have
committed suicide, seating himself first
on map of Japan. AT the same time
he sent two yen, a sum equal to one dol
lar, to the dead officials family and left
the following letter:
II stabbed Mr.. Abe. Why did commit
the murder? He is responsible for the
weakness OF Japanese diplomacy. The
act is the outcome of my sincere wishes
for the welfare of the state 1 stabbed
him deep. He screamed and cried oh,
hurt What an unmanly attitude. L
understand Bushdo, and therefore hate
TO commit suicide in the open air. like a
vagrant. 1 have been seeking a place to
ole until now. IleaSe forgive. nave
killed him, but l entertained no grudge
against him. When 1 remember his fam
Ally. I cannot stop my tears. 1 deeply
sympathize with the members of his
family"
This man was probably one of the
Eoshi of Japan. The Soshi became promi-
nent just after the war with China, and
in short time spread throughout the
empire. They probably still exist under
Q different name. l have never seen
them described in letters of travel. They
are a kind of a cross between an anar-
chist and a political striker, and i am
told that every political meeting is filed
with them. They have committed many
ASA ssinations, and for time those allied
to one politician fought with bands of
the same kind allied to other politicians.
While was last in Japan, band of ten
Soshi assaulted a member of parliament
while he was on his way to the house of
parliament, and one of them threw a bot
tie of sulphuric acid at him, but failed to
strike him. A few days later band of
10 Soshi attacked the office of one of the
newspapers and stoned the editor. and
other outrages occurred.
am told that many of these Soshi
ers of the Daimios, the mobiles of the
ountry who ruled Japan under the
shogun before the new government came
IN. Each Daimio then had number of
kheso fighting men about him, but when