New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-16
COUNT S. OKUMA
PREMIER OF JAPAN
Veteran Statesman with Strong
Views ON the California Contro-
verSy Called to the Helm.

Toxic, April 16.-Count shigenobu
okums, former Foreign Minister. to-day
completed the formation Of the new Jap
anese Cabinet which is TO take the place
Of that Of Count Gombei Yamamoto,
which resigned owing TO the naval scan
dals in connection with the receipt Of ille-
gal commissions. The portfolios are dis
tributed as follows:
COUNT sH1GENOBU oKUMA. Premier
and Minister OF the Interior.
TAKAARI KATO. Minister OF Foreign
Affairs.
RE1J1Ro> wAKATsUKI. Minister Of
Finance.
vIcE-ADMIRAL RoKURo YAsH1Ro,
LIEUTENANT GENERAL IcH1NosUKE
Okla, Minister OF war.
YUKIO oZAKI, Minister OF Justice.
ToKITosHI TAKETONn. Minister Of
Communications
vIsCoUNT KANETAKE oURA, Minister
OF Commerce
KITOKURo IcHIKI, Minister Of Educs-
tion.
THE grand old man Of Japan" as Shi-
genobu Okuma is fittingly called, must
he is one OF the oldest, Of the active
statesmen Of that country. lie was born
more than scJenty-six years ago, Sa-
mural of the Saga clan, and for half a
century and more has been in the public
service. He was q strong advocate at
first Of the restoration Of the Mikado to
power and the suppression of the Sho-
gunate, and then Of the abolition Of the
feudal system and the establishment OF
constitutional government
Upon the latter achievement he became
the first assistant in the Department OF
Foreign Affairs, and was afterward Min
lister Of the Interior and Minister of
Finance. He was president of the Jap
anese commission at the Vienna exposi-
ton and then returned TO the Department
Of Finance. After a dozen years service
ne resigned his place because his col
leagues would not agree to his scheme Of
representative government. lie then OF
ganized the Progressive party, and large
ly as a result of it's activities he had the
satisfaction. in 1889, of seeing his consti-
tutional plans adopted
AS Foreign Minister he then undertook
the great ask of treaty revision, but in
so doing excited much factionl luminosity
and was made the victim of a bomb
thrower's fury as a result of which he
lost a leg. Thereafter he served in sew
eral Cabinet positions, but at the end of
1898 retired from OF CO and from the off,
cial leadership Of the National party,
which had been developed from the Pro-
gressives. He founded the Waseda Uni
versityI the largest private university In
Japan. and has for years been its presi-
dent, and also president Of the Women's
University at Metro. He is known as an
author and as one Of the greatest collec-
tors and cultivators Of orchids in the
world
His accession to the Premiership will be
Of interest TO Americans chiefly because
Of his views concerning the status Of
the Japanese in California. While he is
! by no means a 'jingo," he is particularly
resolute in maintaining what he believes
to be the rights of his country and It's
citizens.
There can be no doubt" he once said.
that upon the solution Of this problem
depends the rise or fall Of the future
/ Japan. All we ask is that Americans
/ shall face the question in the spirit which
/ is at the very foundation Of their gov
eminent the spirit Of justice and human
/ ity. Our attitude toward this question is
! to our credit, and If it fails no one is able
/ to see what the end will be-"