Page:Constitutional imperialism in Japan (IA constitutionalim00clemrich).pdf/63

the summus episcopus; the Imperial Diet is the synod or “presbytery”; and local governments are “congregations”. Thus the Japanese, past masters in the art of compromise, have established an “Episco-presbytery-gational” form of government.

This is the record of twenty-five years of “Constitutional Imperialism in Japan”. It is “Imperialism” in origin, in essence, and in substance, in theory and in fact; but it has been, is being, and will be, greatly modified by “Constitutional” elements. It may never be reversed to “Imperial Constitutionalism”: but it is quite likely that the “Imperial” features will grow smaller and weaker, while the “Constitutional” elements will grow larger and stronger. This will come not by revolution but by evolution.