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Show f JAPAN'S GRANDEST OLD MAN, J i There is only one Okuma in Japan or in the world. He is a positively posi-tively unique character. As far as years go he is called an old man and should long ago have been Oslerized But he is really only seventy-six yiars young and has declared that he expects to live 50 or so years longer. And in spirit he is certainly still a young man. He has never been called one of the "elder statesmen," but he deserved de-served the appellation as much as they did. He was prominent in pub-!lic pub-!lic service before any one of them; 'but he was sidetracked into private 'life because he dared to differ with the policies of others who later rose into prominence and he has been kept in the background because he was considered too liberal, even too radical. He has survived all except three or four of his old colleagues and rivals. Okuma's career has been a long statesman, educator, orator, and versatile one. He has been politician, su capacity, in even- author, horticulturist, etc.; and he has shone in the honor of Position. In his political life he shares with -Jf l d to the organiz-Pioneering organiz-Pioneering in the agitation for constitutional gove |
