ENLIGHTENED GOVERNMENT
Two months after Ōkubo's death, an edict announced that elective assemblies should forthwith be established in the various prefectures and cities. These assemblies were to consist of members having a high property qualification, elected by voters having one half of that qualification; the voting to be by signed ballot, and the sessions to last for one month in the spring of each year. As to their functions, they were to determine the method of levying and spending local taxes, subject to approval by the Minister of State for Home Affairs; to scrutinise the accounts for the previous year, and, if necessary, to present petitions to the Central Government. Thus the foundations of genuine representative institutions were laid. It is true that legislative power was not vested in the local assemblies, but in all other important respects they discharged parliamentary duties. Their history need not be related at any length. Sometimes they came into violent collision with the Governor of the Prefecture, and unsightly struggles resulted. The Governors were disposed to advocate public works which the people considered extravagant, and further, as years went by and as political organisations grew stronger, there was found in each assembly a group of men ready to oppose the Governor simply because of his official status. But, on the whole, the system worked well. The local assemblies served as training schools for the future parliament, and their members showed devotion
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