he Constitutionists have shown that they are quite
ready to support a Cabinet entirely independent of parties, where its
measures seem conducive to the nation's good. Such a Cabinet was that
of Prince Katsura, who, in turn, after three years' tenure of office,
stepped down quietly in August, 1911, to make way for the
Constitutionists, under Marquis Saionji. In a word, the nation seems
to have arrived at the conclusion that these parliamentary problems
cannot be safely solved except by long and deliberate experiment.*

*For minute information about party politics and parliamentary
procedure see the "Oriental Series," Vol. IV.

AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY

The growth of agricultural and industrial enterprise is one of the
most remarkable features of modern Japan. Up to the beginning of the
Meiji era, agriculture almost monopolized attention, manufacturing
industry being altogether of a domestic character. Speaking broadly,
the gross area of land in Japan, exclusive of Saghalien, Korea, and
Formosa is seventy-five million acres, and of this only some
seventeen millions are arable. It may well be supposed that as rice
is the principal staple of foodstuff, and as the area over which it
can be produced is so limited, the farmers have learned to apply very
intensive methods of cultivation. Thus it is estimated that they
spend annually twelve millions sterling--$60,000,000--on fertilizers.
By unflinching industry and skilled processes, the total yield of
rice has been raised to an annual average of about fifty million
koku; that is to say, two hundred and fifty million bushels. But the
day cannot be far distant when the growth of the population will
outstrip that of this essential staple, and unless the assistance of
Korea and Formosa can be successfully enlisted, a problem of extreme
difficulty may present itself. Meanwhile, manufacturing industry has
increased by leaps and bounds. Thus, whereas at the opening of the
Meiji era, every manufacture was of a domestic character, and such a
thing as a joint-stock company did not exist, there are now fully
11,000 factories giving employment to 700,000 operatives, and the
number of joint-stock companies aggregates 9000. Evidently, Japan
threatens to become a keen competitor of Europe and America in all
the markets of the Orient, for she possesses the advantage of
propinquity, and as well an abundance of easily trained labour. But
there are two important conditions that offset these ad