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" EXPEL THE BARBARIANS." 323
government of Japan was under the Tycoon's military
system, the only method of redress seemed to
be by assassination, and the only sure weapon the
sword. There existed no provision or opportunity
for the expression of the views of patriots. In the
political machine there was no congress or parliament
to act as a safety-valve. The only way by
which the feelings of those who made public opinion
could be made manifest was in blood. It was
"despotism tempered by assassination." In repub-
lics, constitutional monarchies, and representative
governments, such as exist in Christendom, political
parties make and unmake the policy of the presi-
dents, kings, or ministers ; the newspaper press re-
flects public opinion ; but under despotisms, dynamite,
bomb-shells, and the various methods of assas-
sination take the place of caucuses, elections, cam-
paigns, polls, votes, and discussions. It is highly
probable that the premier, li Kamon no Kami,
though trained in the ways of a Japanese politician
of the bakufu days, was a sincere patriot, and
wanted to save his country from being invaded by
the Europeans as China had been, or subjugated as
India was. To accomplish his purpose he followed
out the Tokugawa policy of force, using arbitrary
means. Echizen's method was the reverse.
That is the
when made a
usual fault of a military
president of a republic.
man even
A soldier
as he commands
expects to govern a nation just
an army ; to say, " Do this " and expect instant obedience,
or to have the insubordinate shot. The