The recent trouble in relation to the Reply of the Lower House to the speech from the Throne has no doubt threatened the so-called coalition of the Seiyu-kai, sressives, under Count Okuma. Within a under Marquis Saionji, and the Pro: few days six Representatives (now ex-
Representatives) seceded from the Seiyukai. Baron Suyematsu and Baron Kaneko, LI. D., members of: the Upper House, have lately discontinued to actively ticipate in the management of the iyu-kai. Baron Suyematsu's wife is a daughter of Marquis Ito, who formally severed connection with the Seiyu-kai in July last, and as to the virtual retirement the Baron from the party, it is said to he chiefly due to the intervention of Baron Suyematsu, A recent speech of Marquis Saionji, comparing the present Cabinet Ministers to "barbarians" had no desirable effect, but the rank and file think, that thereby probabilities of their regaining power were made less, as it is directly in opposition to the avowed confidence _reposed in the Katsura ministry the Sovereign.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.