Page:Political Condition of Japan.djvu/26

 As to enforcing criminal laws, the police use their utmost authority, and poor and helpless men and women are punished very severely for slight offenses. But they are utterly negligent as to more serious offenses. About seven years ago it came out that a large quantity of counterfeit paper currency had been found. It was evident that some one had committed a crime, but no criminal has been found to this day. Such crimes should of course be investigated with the utmost stringency, yet the police authorities, after some inquiry became suddenly lenient and mysteriously gave up the investigation. As to the liberty of person, there is no such thing as the habeas corpus act, so that people can be put into a prison as long as the official pleases, without any public trial. The secret police called Fuzoku Gakari, or the inspectors of public morality, can enter into any house without warrant; yet they are themselves the most lawless of men. While the people are reduced to fearful poverty, the Japanese Ministers have been doing everything to promote their selfish ends. Some time ago these Ministers made up their minds to convert the island of Yezo into their private property by paying a merely nominal value for it. This was too much. The oppressed people raised their voices against this arbitrary measure. At last, conferences, negotiations, and compromises were made among the Ministers and officials. It was allowed to remain as public property. But still, the larger part of the island being owned by these Ministers, it is controlled as if it were private property.

Yet the head of this cowardly government, the President of the Privy Council, Count Ito, thinks himself a great statesman. He thinks that his policy is formed after the model of Prince Bismarck. I very much doubt whether the strong and powerful Iron Chancellor would be proud of such a petty follower as Count Ito. It will appear to an ordinary observer that there is a gulf between Count Ito and Prince Bismarck, wide indeed as that between man and ape. Petty Count Ito and powerful Prince Bismarck belong to altogether different species, and it is utterly impossible that Count Ito should develop himself into a great man. Whatever Count Ito has been able thus far to do