The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-16
PREMIER 0KUMA WILL
NOT RETIRE, DECLARES SEC.
:. OF JAPANESE CABINET
(By Associated Press. }


the Japanese cabinet has issued an
official statement denying an insist
ent report in the japanese press that
Premier Okuma would retire. The
statement allows it to be understood
that the opposition groups in the
Diet were responsible for the re-
ports.
The idea advanced was that Pre-
mier Okuma has long felt that it
was time for him to withdraw and
that the successful negotiating of an
alliance with Russia offered favor
able moment for retirement as it rep
resented a browning act of states
manship.
The opposition press suggested
that the new cabinet would be a CO.
alition ministry containing both
Marshal Prince Terauchi, the COVER
nor general of Korea and Baron Ia
kaaki Kato, ex-minister of foreign
affairs, or it would be cabinet
| headed by either one of these states
men.
Premier Okuma is receiving con-
CALCULATIONS from all sides on his
elevation to the rank of Marquis.
The immediate occasion of the honor
was the conclusion of the alliance
with Russia but it has to do very
largely with his distinguished serv-
ices rendered to the empire during
the war with Germany.
"Of all the veteran statesmen, -
says the Japan Times, who were
survivors from the galaxy of the
Meiji pillars of state, none has wait
ed so long for a full opportunity to
test his craftsmanship as Count, now
Marquis, Okuma. Nor has it been
the lot of any other to experience so
much pressure OF arduous work in
ripe old age as he
Everybody is well aware of
mountains of political obloQuies
heaped upon him in late years and
yet unscathed he stands above them
The reason is that his political op-
ponents forget the real great service
he has rendered to the country. The
bitterest attack levelled at him is
that, coming into power, he has
failed to carry into practice the
lofty political ideals he had been
preaching for decades. Where did
the critics get those lofty political
ideals from? 1t was the new Mar
quis who most prominently and in
defatigably pounded and hammered
them into the nations mind, and
who taught them the use of the very
weapon they are now employing
against him. The part he has thus
played in the promotion of political
education of this country will never
be obliterated"
The journal concluded as follows:
Besides being a political educator,
the new Marquis has for years stood
internationally a figure representa-
tive of Japan, contributing not lit
tie toward planting cordiality in the
social intercourse of the country
with the rest of the civilized world.
Here he stands peerless in the land.
Then, coming to the question of
Japan's participation in the present
war, opinion has been divided as to
it's wisdom; but all careful thinkers
are agreed that history will yet
prove the correctness of his judg-
ment. On top of all, he has signal
lied the achievement of his regime
by concluding a great world work,
namely, the new Russo-Japanese
convention. His present honor has
certainly not come to him too soon.
Marquis okuma received also the
Grand Gordon of the Order of The
Chryanthemum and the Grand Order
of Merit. The raising to the rank
of Viscount of Baron Motono, Japa-
nese ambassador to Petrograd; of
Baron Ishii, the present minister of
foreign affairs and OF Baron Kato,
the former holder of that portfolio.
are interpreted as being in recoani-
ton of their services in successfully
negotiating the Russian alliance.
For services during the war ba-
ronetcy has been bestowed upon
General Mitsuomi Kamio. who cen
Quoted the military operations at
Tsing-tau; on Admiral Hayao Shi-
manure who was chief of the gener-
al staff of the navy; on Vice Admiral
Kokuro Yashiro, who was minister
of the navy; and on Vice Admiral
Sadakichi Kato, who commanded tho
fleet that bombarded the Tsing-tau
Notifications.