Apr. 21.
Anxiety regarding the outcome of the Diet session is evidenced in the great deal of editorial comment in the vernacular papers on the subject. The papers emphasize the Government's precarious position ax shown by the narrow victory in the election of the Speaker of the Lower House and its actual defeat in regard to the election of the Vice Speaker, regrets the fact that victory or defeat should be at the whim of a handful of inde 'The Finance Minister, introduei the Budget, which amounts to Yen 1,708,000,000, including: the Supplomentary and Coronation Estimates, which together total Yen. 72,099.- 000, emphasized that it was' Government's intention to taxation. The Government _proposed to lessen the burdens of the proletarian and of the middle class, Bills in this connection would be submitted at the next session of the Diet, of the bank adjust ment question, He stated that 25 of the 38 banks which had pended during last year's panic had now completed or were completing their readjustment, For the put= pose of facilitating reform, he said, the Government were encouraging mergers. Spociul advances "made so far amount to Yen 304,000,000, janks incorporated Inst year numered 134 and during the current jar over 60, Another 8 were The Minister assured the House that every precaution would be taken to prevent any detrimental foffects on the general—economic of the country by these avarices te crippled banks,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.