The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-08-06
Elder STATESMEN
STILL URGE OKUNA
/ TO RETANPOWER
(Coneluded from Pare onel

.TH from rage OntJ a..s.-..r
Premier Count Okuma, in the hap,
piest mood over the victory he had
Just won, called a speciali session of
the diet for May u to continue three
weeks. The -Doshikai majority,
when the new diet had been vpeneu
by the Emperor, as is the custom in
Japan, determinedly passed the admin
istration measure for military expan-
sion in Korea. Desperate opposition by
the immortality on the floor Of the house
was unawaiting. %. arH.I
Failing in their effort TO block
okuma 5 pet measure, the Seiypkais
made repeated fights on the floor Of the
house to impcach s. Shinda, Cne new
speaker, for abuse of the power of the
eavel; Baron T. KatO, minister of for
eign affairs, for his weak showing in
the now famous SinO-Ja japanese negotia-
tions; Count 0kuma, for alleged in,
reference in the election, and, finally,
Viscount X. Oura, minister of the in.
terror, for accepting brides, besides
manipulating the election. One after
another the moves to GUST the premier,
cabinet ministers and speaker Of the
house were voted down, thanks to the
controlling majority Of the Doshikais.
Chance Shot a Bullseye -. t
The Seiyukais were almost at loss
until T. Murano, floor leader of the
minority, instituted legal proceeding
against Viscount Oura, in the district
court of Toxic, charging the minister
OF the interior with accepting a bride
of 10000 yen from one Shirakawa, a
member of the government party, who
was successful ia the recent election
II was ALLEGED that the sun. IN qu,.s
tiUn changed hands last February, pIst
from Shirakawa to X. Hayasbi,!a,
secretary in chief of the house, thcn TO
JiseOunt Oura and finally into the
pc ekets of one kaji, then rival can
didate against Shirakawa in the dis
trict of Kagaw4. AZ.
On receipt of the alleged bride Kali
withstood his candidacy, allowing Shira.
kawa to hold the field alone. Strange
to say, however, Kali declared that
he did not actually receive the money
from Oura, but that several other mem
bers, whom he specified, divided the
bride among themselves.
Attorney General Action
The activities of the attorney gcner.
al Hiranuma were most remarkable.
On June 26 he met in secret confer
ence with Y. Ozaki, minis, Or of justice,
and later in the same day the two to-
gether were called into conference by
*. Kawamura, minister of imperial
household. Three days later three
members of the house of deputies,
Shirakawa and two others, were put
under arrest, while K Hayashida, sec
rotary n-chief of the house, was twice
Summoned before the attorney general
and waived rigid investigation of the
disposal of the 10000 yen from Shira-
kawa. At this time the Oura began to
totter and those who were following
carefully the political situation in To.
kiO, felt they could look for the early
downfall of the Okuma ministry.
The activities of the attorney general
continued and the more active he grew
the more evidence against Oura was
uncovered. On July %, Y. Ozak min.
lister of justice, minated publicly, the
gravity of the situation.
The independence of the judiciary
should be upheld, he said, even if it
sealed the fate of the cabinet. I'm
trampelled justice should have more
weight than the personal welfare of
any cabinet minister,
okuma Finally Resigns
A day after this declaration by
Ozaki the attorney!general s office sud
denly put X. Hayashida under arrest,
while ViscOunt Oura, II. Kono, min
lister of agriculture and commerce and
one of the leaders of the Doshikai, and
Baron Kato, minister of the foreign
affairs and president of the govern,
ment party, met hastily at the house
of Premier Okuma.
At the close of the conference Oura
presented his resignation as minister of
interior to the Emperor who soon sum
moncd the genro, into consultation.
Meanwhile Baron Kato eagerly urged
Premier Okuma to resign with the
whole cabinet. The very next day the
Premier was received in audience by
the Emperor and presented his resigna
ton, which is now likely to be accept
ed because of Okuma s determination
rot to reconsider ii,