The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-01-04
ELDER JAPANESE
STATESMEN ARE
| STILL SUPREME
BY CLARENCE puBosE


are on the job In Japan. They have
come back with wallop, these
"Elder Statesmen" II, indeed, they
have ever been away.
There were some who said the
Gcnro had passed from power. But
with Premier Hara's assassination,
japan turned instinctlveIy, almost
unquestioningly. TO the Genro. Up
on the one hand was the possibility
OF political peril, perhaps chaos. Up
on the other, continued accep'
tance OF the power OF three wise
and venerable men who personally
or through their deceased predeces-
sors have dictated the political pol
icies of Japan for half century.
There was no doubt OF the choice,
either In the minds OF the people,
the politicians or the Genro them
selves. The ELDER Statesmen" took
hold. Prince Yamagata, the greatest
OF the living Genro and one OF the
two survivors OF the original group,
resumed without challenge the prac-
tical political dictatorship Of the ma.
tion.
In the natural order OF things tho
Genro must pass from human actl.
vities before a great while, for they
are all very old men. There Is
some wondorment of what will hap
pen then. but not much doubt that
as long as they live--or at least
as long as Prince Yamagata lives
the Genro will be what they always
have been-Boss.
There are three Genro: Prince
Yamagata. aged SO; Marquis Siaon-
il. So; and Marquis ,Matsukata, 81,
and. with Yamagata, a member of
the original Genro. Each has a ca
reer of the greatest distinction and
accomplishment. Each is universal
ly accepted in Japan as great pa
triot. The same statement is true
of the Genro who are dead. The
progressives, the youngers states
men, have sometimes chafed at the
bit, but they have never brought
against the Genro such charges as
are known to political bosses in
America. The Genro have never
been charged with using their pow
er for other than what they con-
ceived to be for the good of Japan.
Most Japanese will point to modern
Japan, evolved in a little more than
fifty years from mediaevalism, as
defense of the wisdom of the Gen.
70 policy and power. And most OF
them wonder who can supplant the
Genro when they go.
During the Meiiji Restoration,
which was the beginning Of modern
Japan, handful of young knights
of the Chosu and Satsuma clans
forged to the front as the "up and
doing lads" of the day. They were
what in American terms would have
been called bright young men with
a future" They advanced quickly
in place and importance. Five OF
them because tremendously power
full, and of thosa five, two, Yamagata
and Matsukata, still live. The term
"Genro" or ELDER Statesmen" was
not applied to them until about
twenty years ago, when the once
young knights had grown old and
Japan was merging, under their
guidance, into the new-with newer,
younger statesmen ambitious to
achieve, but unable to demonstrate
ability superior to the Genro. The
Genro was unconstitutional. They
are not provided for in the Japanese
scheme of government. They just
developed because conditions re-
quired such men. Under the Japa'
nese system the emperor appoints
the premier. The premier appoints
the cabinet ministers, who are res
ponsible to the emperor, not the
Diet. And the mperor has always
appointed the premier recommended