The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-31
Count Okuma, the New Premier, Is an
Admirer of American Institutions and
Has Had Remarkable Part in Build
ing Up the New Japan

of all the foreigners called out under
the Charter Oath of the Emperor In
1868 TO assist in the work of the new
nation. by organizing schools on the
American principle, l saw young
Okuma, in January, 1871, he being
then secretary in the Foreign Office.
l think IL was at his suggestion, or
under his criticism, that my three year
contract with the damlo and officers
Of the provinces of Echizen was al
tered. The first draft read with the
Government Of EchiZen," but this was
changed in the Foreign Office to read
local authorties"-only one Govern
ment. the Imperial in Toxic, being ac-
knowledged. This showed the complete
subordinatlon of every province, city
and castle lord in the empire to the
Mikado or Emperor. Every former
daimio. however powerful, was acting
as governor. or deputy. subordinate to
the Imperial Government.
Okuma was disappointed at what
seemed to him the needlessly arbitrary
character of the new rulers in power
and at the tendency to overcentral-
ization of power. The unmistakable
trend toward the German system
seemed to him, and to 1tagakl, little
better than the old Shogunal despotism.
He therefore began an agitation
from which he has never ceased,
namely to abolish feudalism, not only
in form but in fact and spirit, extir-
pating the last vestiges from even the
army and navy. and in favor of the es.
adjustment OF "A constitutional gov.
eminent in which the Ministers should
be responsible not to the Emperor, as
at present, but to the Diet, or to the
party in power. Twenty-one years of
activity with pen and voice were des-
tined to pass by with not little per-
sonal danger OF Imprisonment or worse
to Okuma before the Constitutional
era: but meanwhile he showed himself
an untiring patriot. AS chief assistant
in the Foreign Office, as Secretary of
the Treasury and of the Interior, for
ten years, from 1873 to 1881. he was
constantly busy and among the wisest
in council.
Okuma's eXtra-offcial energies, how
ever, were very obnoxious to the men
in power, whose severe measures.
deemed arbitrary by most thinking
japanese, furnished pretexts for more
than one local uprising, eliminating in
the great Satsuma rebellion of 1877.
When Okuma sent in his famous
memorial urging the Ministers to es-
tablish representative government It
was rejected and he was obliged to re-
sign office.
Still unceasing in his work of agita-
ton, the Government was finally
brought to bay and in 1881 promised
to summon a national Diet, grant a
Constitution and limit the Imperial
prerogative IN 1890. Okuma then
formed the Progressive party, forerun-
ner Of the present National party. and
was for many years its president.
Those who studied the tactics Of early
parties in the Diet In those days
could easily discern the master hand
that moved the pieces in the game as
that Of none other than Okuma.
One year before the Constitution was
promulgated, in 1889, Okuma was
called to the Foreign Office to revise
the old treaties in order to regain for
Japan the rights of sovereignty which
under the persuasion and pressure of
Townsend Harris Japan had tempo