The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-03-12

wot,rO-Liberal leaders in Japan
-. ..4. mass OF tho people. too, who
&c .u recent months more than
.,'.. weakened TO the fact that they
t.ye .scu paying the fiddler while
isr4g's arm yand navy have been
g,-.ing. see I'm tho death or Marshal
prince Yamagata a chance for a
-1orr enlightened regime In thls
Douufrv. The end OF the dictatorship
,,a gfuro. who have made and
u.,,.Hg ,1binets at will since the
,rs|fuiloual government was cs-
,s,l sHcl. and an end of the all
noWorul militarists. , 80
cfy mon can be said TO have been
&, trr ranks Of these elder states
mon although others are often list
"a g. geuro rather than the hcnch-
80, f.4t they were. Now two re-
.',.r- MARQUIS Masayushi Matsuk-
,,ire premier and now lord
,rcr Of the priyy seal, and Prince
E,,.r.arnI SalonU. also twice pre-
N.rr. who was urged by Prince
y5maelil TO head now cabinet
s,fI1u.ug tho recent assassination OF
Premier llara
MARQUIS Matsukata, samaurat AZ
tle rmc OF the restoration to the
throne NJ Emperor Neil soon en-
tered actively into politics, occupy
ing rabinot positions at intervals
from the reorganization of the gov
ernmuuf I'm 1900, since when he has
becn active In the privy council and
as an adviser TO the emperor. lie
succeeds YamaRata to tho leadrship
Of the elder statesmen by merit Of
seniority and significance of past
service Yet his influence among
men upon whose shoulders active
government OF the country must fall
ia moaCcr--he has neither the per
sonality nor the power to command
possessed by his predecessor. His
advanced years are to his disad-
vantage. too. for he is three years
older than Yamagata was at the
time Of his death.
Prince Saionji Powerful
Prince SaionJi, while So years old.
Is comparatively young in the ranks
Of the Gouro. His inclusion has
come In recent years, after he had
DISTINGUISHED himself I'm diplomatic
service in the early days abroad and
after he had served Namagata
faithfully I'm the government here.
His influence, probably due to moro
recent active participation In affairs,
Is much greater than that Of Matsuk-
alta, and in case tho Gcnro are to
make an attCmpt now to maintain
the power they have exercised for
so many years It will he Saionji
whose word win command.
Prince Ito, maker OF the constitu-
ton, author Of the Sino-Japanese
war and other drastic action and
the greatest statesman that Japan
tss ct IA
believer in the German imperalistic
system, and Yamagata have since
the days Of fighting that ended In
the restoration been two of the lead
ing figures In Japan.
To them, especially 10 Ito, goes
most Of the credit Of the organiza-
ton Of the bureaucratic govern
ment and to them goes the credit
for the remarkable progress that
Japan has made since the opening
OF the country and the restoration.
Ito. the leader Of the elder states
men. was assassinated in 1909, and
since that time It has been Yamagata
who advised the emperor and COM
manded his subjects.
Word Has Been law.
Yamagata's word has been law.
Even during his illness up TO the
idHL I'" WtthSt NutI hp'ADl9 ~
vented visitors seeking him, the
premier, cabinet members. leaders
from tho diplomatic advisory board
and tho privy council and men from
the general staff made regular visits
10 his villa at Odawara TO report
and to receive his instructions.
From his sick bed many I'M
portant orders we're given with re-
. gard TO lapan's policy at the wash
ington conference. and Il was he who
made Niscount Takahashi premier
when after a long visit with him,
Salonjl refused to succeed Hara.
or the others OF the elder states
men Marquis Inouye died in 1915,
aiter half century Of distinguished
government service: General Nogi,
nero OF the Russo-Japanese war
committed hari-kari in 1913 follow
ing the death OF Emperor Meiji;