The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1915-11-15
CONTROVERSY IN
JAPAN tJN OtjRA

Toxic, Oct. 15.-The decision OF the
government not to prosecute Viscount
Oura, the recent minister of home at
fairs, whom a preliminary court de-
clared had contributed $4,000 for pur-
poses of bribery of members of parlia-
ment, has excited controversy
throughout Japan.
The controversy centers about Yukio
Ozaki, the minister of justice, who
frankly takes the responsibility upon
his own shoulders, and who says:
"Wscount Gura was undoubtedly
gully OF bribery but the act was
prompted not by any base of selfish
motive but solely and entirely by a
sincere desire to carry out the gov
eriment's policy, though in uncon-
sc!nus disregard of the principles of
the cabinet. In consideration of this
and of the fact that the ex-minister is
lepentant and has resigned all politi-
tai and public positions and has man
Tested his intention not to interfere
la state politics for the rest of his life
we have decided to postpone prosecu-
ton.
Criminal punishment has the double
aim of preventing repetition OF an Of
fense and of warning the public against
committing similar offenses. Prose-
cution of the ex- minister is dropped
not because he was a member OF the
nobility or the holder of high posi-
ton but solely because we believe the
end Of the criminal code has been at
tanned without subjecting him to pun
ishment."
The same preliminary court which
found that Viscount Oura had distrib-
uted bribery money found four men,
bers and fourteen former members of
the house of representatives to be
gGilty of bribery. The case centers
about an attempt to buy over members
of the opposition groups and induce
them to vote for the governments
project to increase the army by two
divisions That project was adopted
by the last session of the Diet. The
disclosure OF bribery scandals and the
subsequent resignation Of Viscount
Oura led to the collapse of the entire
Okuma ministry. The cabinet later
returned to Office in a reconstructed
form.
The records Of the preliminary court
show that Oura admitted that he had
given certain politicians various sums
of money but pleaded that he had act
ed for the good of the nation.
feared" testified Oura, that If the pro-
posed army expansion was rejected
it might create antagonism between
the army and navy and create cir
curnstances undesirable for the coun-
try. I thought 1t would be better Tor
the country to make the house accept
the governments bill even If 1T were
necessary to expend money to accom-
plish that end" Oura continued by
sayings that he had not intended to
bribe members of the house but mere
ly to use the money in defending the
government against attacks from the
opposition.
The opponents OF the decision to
grant Immunity to Oura contend that
the law should have been allowed to
run it's course irrespective of the posi-
tion or the so-called motives of the
defendant. They declare that it is q
nfscarriage OF Justice to give free
don to the briber and hold the bribed
Tor hlal. They contend that the argu-
Inent Mat Oura, having forsaken pub
Tic life and gone into seclusion, Is
really mtre severely punished than he
could have been by the law, lis more
sentimental than legal
Says the Japan Times: THE plain
fact is that the government has not
the heart to brand as criminal a man
who, as one of it's members, did what
he considered to be in it's interests |
even to the extent of violating the law
or the land. The government apparent |
ly considers that the offense has been
adequately and sincerely expiated. But
We can scarcely see how the govern |
ment can avoid a very heated discus
sion Of this question In the next ses-