The measure for the Reform of the House of Peers proved to be a sham, the Bill for this purpose actually' passed being a very poor substitute to that originally framed ty the Cabinet. The reform of the Upper House was one of the tasks the Kato Ministry took upon its shoulders when it accepted the mantle of the Kiyoura M
The Kato Government is now ex: posed to the cross fires of public dignation for having made such a luke-warm affair of the reform of the House of Peers, and has also neurred the severe displeasure of the nobility for having attempted to force on the Upper Chamber, even. in small measure, such a reform. The Diet session now over, the Upper House ix already busy' pull-secret wires with the object of embarrassing, and precipitating the fall of, the Kato Cabinet.
The Kato Ministry has done all that was possible in the direction of tempting a reform of the Upper House. Japan at present is under a Regency and anything like a sweeping change, which would neces-ite an alteration in the Constitu-
Yon, cannot be done under a Regency.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.