『二十六世紀』事件と藩閥

抄録

In September 1896, Matsukata Masayoshi formed his 2nd cabinet as a coalition cabinet by the Satsuma clique and the Shimpo-to. Matsukata promised to amend the Press Regulasions by eliminating the articles of the prohibition and the suspension. But most han-clique statesmen opposed to the relaxation of the restriction on the press, they thought it would imperil the future of the ahn-clique. In the Matsukata Cabinet Kiyoura Keigo (the Minister for Justice) and Nomura Yasushi (the Minister for Communications) thought so. On November 9th the Nihon quoted the Niju-roku-seiki (a magazine published by Takahashi Kenzo, he was the Head Secretary of this cabinet) and blamed the Imperial Household Ministry for the corruption. Kiyoura and Nomura demanded to prohibit or suspend these papers and tried to destroy Matsukata's policy. They succeeded in prohibiting and suspending these papers, but it irritated the Shimpo-to and impelled Matsukata to make a concession for his friend party. Kiyoura's great effort resulted in promoting the relaxasation of the Press Regulations after all. In the 10th Session of the Imperial Diet, the articles of the prohibition and the suspension were eliminated.