Foreign opinion here is wholly on the side of the Upper House. Perhaps the fact that the new taxes would hit for-signers has had something to do with their assumption of this attitude, but in general they profess to be merely glad that the action of the Peers has stared off national bankrupter. Their fears in this connection are groundless, but there can be little doubt that the great business stagnation which at present afflicts Japan and of which I spoke in mr last letter may have had as much to do with the foding of the people on this point as anything.
Majesty. The address presented by the What this deadlock will bring no one Premier tet Prosier rane to the following #ftchs— can foretell, but it seems to me that it is} regarded with too little seriousness inj "May it please Pita pet post of Premier at a juncture of grata "Having been to the responsible Japan. One paper exalts in the discovery that the influence of the old statesmen is importance, it has ever been the wish of gone, but its self-congratulation sounds the undersigned to serve your Imperial like the self-congratulation of a thought-Majesty to the utmost of his humble less Ind from whom the restraining and capacity. supporting hand of a severe father has With a view to providing for the neces-been removed. Other papers talk rather sary military expenses of the State and wildly, in much the same style as certain also to adding to the stability of the sections of the home Press talked on a finances, the undersigned compiled drafts similar occasion some years back, of of laws bearing on increased taxation, and, sweeping away the House of Lords." It with your Majesty's sanction, laid' them must be evident, however, to all thinking before the Imperial Diet. They were duly Japmnese that if they begin to tinker with voted and passed by the House of Repre-their new constitution while it is yet in sentatives, but_on their transference to its teens, they are on a fair way to emulate the House of Peers, there were indica-the exploits of South American constit tions that caused apprehensions to be tion-makers. In Great Britain the di entertained of that House not ultimately ficulty would be temporarily got over by approving of them. The matter has final-a dissolution, but what is the good of ly engaged the Imperial attention, and Marquis Ito asking the Emperor to dis-your Majasty has been pleased to send solve the Diet if the Peers will be as much gracious message to the House of Peer: in his way after the dissolution as before, Sensible of his responsibility for having and if it Will be impossible—as it is—for a caused so much trouble to the Imperial new Cabinet to be formed—a new Cabinet mind by his failure to properly discharge which will be supported by the repre-his duties as your Majesty's chief servant, sentatives and not strangled by the Lords? the undersigned now respectfully ventures to approach the Throne and reverently
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.