No. 426.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Blaine.
United
States Legation,
Tokei,
Japan, June 21, 1881. (Received July
18.)
No. 1320.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 1300, in relation to the
establishment by this government of a department of agriculture and
commerce, I now have the honor to inclose herewith a translation of a
proclamation issued on the 23d ultimo by his excellency Mr. Banjo, His
Imperial Japanese Majesty’s prime minister, together with rules for the
government of assemblies for investigating the subjects of agriculture,
commerce, and manufacture, with a view to the development of those
industries. This is another witness of the efforts constantly being made by
His Imperial Japanese Majesty to employ all legitimate agencies to develop
the resources of this empire and better the condition of this people despite
the refusal of western nations to repeal the unjust restrictions of the
convention of 1866. How long will the free and enlightened people of the
western nations tolerate this great wrong? If our government would say to
Japan, “We consent to strike from our treaty which we concluded in 1878 with
His Imperial Japanese Majesty its tenth article, and adopt in lieu thereof
reciprocal conditions,” I believe it would work the liberation of this
government from the offensive and oppressive restrictions of the convention
of 1866, and promote for all time our own commercial interests in this
empire.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure with
1320.—Translation.]
Proclamation is hereby made that the following rules for the government
of assemblies for investigating the subjects of agriculture, commerce,
and manufactures have been enacted with a view to the establishment and
development of said industries in the provinces of the Empire of
Japan.
SANJO SANEYOSHI,
Prime
Minister.
May 23, 1881.
RULES.
Chapter I.—City and Provincial
Assemblies for investigating the subjects of Agriculture, Commerce,
and Manufactures.
- Article I. An assembly for the
investigation of the above subjects shall be located in each city or
province.
- Art. II. This assembly shall have for
its object the consideration of all matters relating to agriculture,
commerce, and manufactures; especially the questions of
transportation by sea and land; the opening up of roads; the
improvement of harbors and rivers; drainage; the extermination of
hurtful insects; the preventing of cattle diseases; the preservation
of mountain forests; fertilization of lands; the kinds of animals
and plants suitable to given districts; testing machinery; the
construction of models and establishment of museums; modes of
building; the opening or interdiction of markets, &c. It shall
also take into consideration and render an opinion on any pertinent
question brought before it by the minister of agriculture and
commerce, or by the governor of a city or province, as well as the
subject of the prosperity or decline of agriculture, commerce, and
manufactures, and the subject of expenditure.
- Art. III. The membership shall consist
of from five to fifteen reputable farmers, merchants, and
manufacturers, males over twenty-five years of age, who have resided
at least three years in a given city or province, chosen by the
governor of the city or province. The term of service shall be three
years. The members may be re-elected.
- Art. IV. The governor of the city or
province or his deputy shall be chairman.
- Art. V. The secretary shall he appointed
by the governor of the city or province from among the officers
under him.
- Art. VI. Meetings shall he held at least
once a year; when one-fourth or more of the members make a request
for a called meeting the governor may grant it.
- Art. VII. The officers of the department
of agriculture and commerce, and the high officers of the city or
provincial government having jurisdiction, may sit as members and
express their views but shall not be allowed to vote.
- Art. VIII. Questions discussed shall be
decided by a majority. When there is a tie the chairman shall have
the decisive vote.
- Art. IX. The members shall have their
traveling expenses and daily allowance paid the same in amount as
the members of the city and provincial assemblies receive.
- Art. X. The traveling expenses and daily
allowance of members shall be paid out of the appropriation for
promoting industries from the local taxes. Other expenses shall be
paid from the funds appropriated for city or provincial government
purposes.
Chapter II.—Of District
Societies.
- Art. XI. In each district or union of
adjacent districts in each city or province an agricultural society,
a mercantile society, or a manufacturers’ society may be established
or there may be one general society for the promotion of
agriculture, commerce, and manufactures established.
- Art. XII. Such societies shall carry on
discussions in the interest of agriculture, commerce, and
manufactures, shall take into consideration questions proposed by
the governor of the city or province, or by the minister of
agriculture and commerce, and render their opinion on the
same.
- Art. XIII. Such societies may also bring
matters affecting the interests of agriculture, commerce, and
manufactures to the attention of the local governor or minister of
agriculture and commerce.
- Art. XIV. In order to the establishment
of a society the consent of the minister of agriculture and commerce
must be obtained through the primary local assembly and through the
governor of the city or province.
- Art. XV. The members of the
above-mentioned agricultural societies, and societies of
manufactures, shall be males over twenty-five years of age, publicly
elected by the manufacturers and venders of native productions who
reside in the district, and shall be approved by the local governor.
The members of the mercantile societies shall be elected by
merchants and approved as above. Persons described in article XXII
of the provincial assembly regulations (idiots, criminals,
&c.—Translator) are
disqualified.
- Art. XVI. Electors must be householders,
males, over twenty years of age, engaged in farming, trade, or
manufacturing, in the district, with the exceptions referred to in
article XV above.
- Art. XVII. An agricultural or
manufacturer’s society shall consist of not more than twenty-five
members. A commercial society shall consist of not more than fifty
members. These shall elect a president and vice-president by ballot,
who shall serve three years and may be re-elected.
- Art. XVIII. The expenses of a society
shall be paid by an assessment on the electors or from the district
appropriation for such purposes.
- Art. XIX. The by-laws of each society
shall be drawn up by the society, subject to the approval of the
minister of agriculture and commerce, obtained through the governor
of the city or province.
