0th May. fan balloting for the new Council sponsible to the Emperor alone; it was an outgrowth of the wish of the nation to inaugurate party government, with the Cabinet the child and servant of the Diet; and the writer quotes from a speech made by the new Premier to the the personal rights of the people. It passed a much heavier import tariff, which is expected to add over eleven million dollars a year to the revenue; and the remarkable fact remains that a Cabinet which came in with a minority, takes place to-day and to-morrow, the Prefectural Governors not Jong after the had this continuous success, carrying poll being open each day from 10 a.m. organisation of the Matsukata Cabinet, all its measures with "a conspicuous to 3 pin. at the Manicipal Board in which he said: "But I am at least majority, in fact, so much so, that the Room, if here is no proxy voting, and determined to endeavour to perform my Opposition could do nothing." electors must go to the poll in person duties with all sincerity, and, by exert-'The next article, by the Hon. lake-to record their votes. 'I'hey are given ing myself to the utmost of my ability tomi Tokitoshi, Chief of the Commercial 'a paper with the names of the thirteen to fulfil on the one hand, the grave and Industrial Bureau in the Depart-candidates on it, and they must strike office of advising and assisting the ment of Agriculture and Commerce, is out four names and may strike out Emperor, and on the other to secure} headed " Ihe Restoration of the Japan-more than four if they like, but ballots the hearty support of the Imperial Diet, ese Currency System for it must with more than nine names left on to the end that, by bringing about cordial not be forgotten that Count Matsu-them are null and void. There is Jers and ruled, the kata's measure which has so flute altogether such a good list of eandiweighty respon lity that my position tered the bimetallists at home, is really dates before the electors that it will be involves toward the Sovereign in the|a restoration of the gold standard, a difficult matter to decide whom to administration of the affairs of His) which was adopted by the Japanese strike out. That any of them have Majesty's realm may be successfully government in 1870, when a gold dollar allowed their names to be put up from discharged." The Far Hast explains containing 15 grammes of pure gold was sordid motives or as nominees, is an that this meant that" unless the Cabinet made the unit of the coinage, Circum-insinuation that is not likely to have has secured the hearty support of the stances forced on the government the any effect with those who know any-Imperial Diet, that is to say a cordial coinage of a silver dollar, and Japan thing of the past career of the candi-unity between ralers and ruled, it can became a bimetallic country, though in dates, and can only recoil on the by tio means discharge its responsibility practice she had a silver standard. Che person making it. lhe work that has toward the Sovereign."
In that case it] writer goes on to give a very clear been done for the public during the must resign, and thus the long: ussed account of the course that the currency Jast mouth, and that resulted in the question of ministerial responsibility is of Japan has followed in the lust 27 resignation of the Council, was work practically settled. years, and of the reasons that decided the which the whole commnnity—with The new Cabinet came in with a Government to revert now to the gold three disseutients—recognised had to minority in the Diet, and the Far Last standard; and the whole article is worth be done, however ungrateful the task gives an interesting account of how it a longer notice that we can now give to of doing it; and to turn round now gradually transformed this minority into it. and atigmatise as agitators those who majority by breaking off and annexing For the next article, by the Hon, did it, is worthy of the man who would j fragments of greater or smaller size from Yoshito Okuda, Chief Secretary of the suggest that some of the candidates the Opposition parties.
"The tactics of House of Representatives, is a still who have come forward by no means the Government were extremely skilful,} more interesting one. It is headed spontaneously to fill the breach, have so much so, that it has been questioned " 'I'he Career of Constitutional Govern-done it because they have axes to if the measures employed were quite mention Japan," and is a very outspoken grind, The two Inst Councils have not justifiable. One naturally wonders how it one, and lets in some light on the puzzle left things in such excellent order that anyone should undertake the daty with a light heart; and the duty is made still more difficult by the retirement of the Secretary, whose long experience has been of great assistance to success sive Chairmen. We trust that there will be " large poll, every one who can making it a point to record his vote; and we have no doubt that the result will be creditable to the electors.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.