The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-01-06


quis Okuma, former premier of Japan,
is dead, according to a cable message
received by the Nippu Jill Japanese
vernacular newspaper from Toxic to-
day.
When the Toxic correspondent OF
The Associated Press in 1916 request
ed Japan's great modern statesman to
give him some material for sketch
of his life Marquis Okuma broke out in
smiling exclamation: why sketch
of mel am to live to 125. My life's
work is only fairly under way"
That conviction, oftentimes voiced,
until as his friends say. he really and
sincerely believed in it, is the explain
atory essence of Okuma's career In
1915 and 1916. during the great war,
Okuma was prime minister of his
country and leading it onward in
time Of great international strife with
all the enthusiasm and energy and
hope of a young man of thirty. He
was wonderful in every way-even his
enemies thought that.
Okuma was the great bridge be-
tween old and new Japan. He took
historic parts in the development of
the great Meiji reign which opened
Japan to western civilization. He rails
ed loans and saw that they were paid.
He labored for the abolition of the
feudal system and the establishment
of a constitutional government. He
was minister of finance until he re-
signed in 1881 because his colleagues
rejected his proposal for more repre-
sentative government. A year later
he formed progressive party.
| In 1888, a year before the promulga-
ton of the constitution, he was ap-
pointed foreign minister and undertook
the task of revising the treaties which
| had been concluded with the powers
before the restoration. The object
was to regain rights previously con-
ceeded. 1t was then that occurred the
| outrage which crippled him for life,
/ yet did not Quench his extraordinary
vitality and energy. A young agitator
/ incensed at some of Okuma's methods
| threw bomb at his carriage. Okuma
was so injured that he suffered the
amputation of leg. In January, 1915,
/ he was again the object of bomb
attempt at Toxic, but escaped unhurt.
/ The statesman was a member OF
the second Matsukata ministry and in
June 1898 formed cabinet of his own
which lasted six months. Later he
took up educational work and founded
the famous Waseda university. He
wrote constantly. Then when the
Yamamoto cabinet fell in 1914 EN-
peror Yoshihito summoned him tc
form the ministry which held office
during the great European war
1t was under his administration that
side of the Entente Allies, contribut
ing to the embarrassment of Germany
by the capture of her Chinese posses
sion of Kiao-Chow, and by aiding the
Entente powers financially anG
through the manufacture of munitions
It was also during his administration
that the important Russo-Japanese
convention of 1916 was arranged an(
signed.
Premier Okuma was one of the
outstanding figures of Japan" sale
Robert Heun, who formerly resided il
Japan. Il never met him personally
but saw him often He was very anx
ious to meet foreigners and never tool
umbrage at their views. He was kee1
in repartee and able to answer thu
criticisms of foreigners on his coun
try and its policies. No important per
son visited in Japan in the last I.
years without trying to have con
ference with him"