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means successful, owing to the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the workmen themselves. Any serious movements in connection with this question must therefore be said to have originated just after the war with China.

In the civilized countries of the world the labour question has become the chief and most important subject for solution, and is always occupying and troubling the minds of public men. President Roosevelt of the United States of America took the trouble to interfere, though it was against the presidential routine, in the great strike of labourers in that country. The German Emperor, too, has made speeches to workmen encouraging the election of labour members to Parliament. The elections held in some European countries and America distinctly show the gradual ascendancy of the labour party, and laws and regulations of the greatest importance passed in the legislative bodies of those countries are mostly connected with matters involving the interests of labourers. That labour problems are thus engaging the public mind, and that the labour party is gaining power everywhere, evidently show that a continuous activity is being carried on in industrial circles. Sooner or later the time will come when Japan, like other countries, must deal with various complicated problems in relation to labour. During the last few years I have been making investigations into this subject, and now I am in a position to give to those interested in such matters my opinion on the past, present and future position of the labour question in Japan.

All the labour organizations of modern character which exist in Japan, including such important bodies as the Iron-Workers’ and Printers’ Associations, came into existence after the war with China. The year 1897 was the year in which the labour question came most prominently to the front in the public affairs of Japan. Either because the question was very novel, or because its real nature was not clearly understood, the movement was apparently welcomed by the public at large, even the capitalists not appearing to raise any serious objections to it. The following are the principal incidents which have occurred during the last few years in connection with this question:

1897: June 25.—For the first time a meeting was held at the Seinenkai Hall in connection with the labour question, on which occasion Messrs. Sakuma, Matsumura, Takano, Katayama, and others, made speeches.

July 7.—The Rodo-Kumiai-Kiseikai, an association for assisting the promotion of labour organizations, was formed, and Messrs. Shimada, Abe, Tsuzuki, Hino, and Sakuma, were elected on the committee.

December 1.—A meeting for inaugurating the Iron-Workers’ Association was held in the same hall, where about 1,200 work-