Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-28
The MikadO'S alton.
Japan Weekly MALL


just fourteen years ago the Mlkado ceased
10 be terres tial divinity and became an &C
tive power and visible presence among his
SUBJECTS. Had he been required to perform
ibis new role after years CT habit had aSaptej
ms Ieet ts the traditional groove OF apAthetic
might nave proved unendurabie, aud thai 10
the many difficulties with which his ministers
nave already been called upon u graooIe.
ihigtt oe superadded the emoarrassTn5 + OF
sewing puppet Prince according to the forms
OF lesponslble procedure. Fortunately, how
ever, the Emperor appTo .ched his unoreca-
cenied TASK Without any OF The prelldtc,s of
experience, and In the conviction Ihly tin :.
fashions Of the past were Incompatible Wit,
the necessitlts OF the future lie has sue.
ctGed-thorCughly eucceeGei-in taking an
thectlye place at the head OF the state AID In
ct morning to the strangely novel circum-
stances OF his altered relations with the outer
world. Not without an effort indeed
has has the transformation been acc om-
IhoasS IN IN me oegianiag T. seemed as
DE laid aside, and those foreigners who In the
early days OF our residence here had the honor
OF OF, Deing admitted to the Imperial presence
iound IL oilncult to reconcile that statuesaue
1mperturbability With anything but the ides of
a puppet set up to take the place OF the Sacred
Being not yet sufficiently unmarked to endure
t h11f aSpecg OF humanity These, however. are
They were succeeded first by forebo dIngs: sub
sequentiy BY establishment. Something it was
thought must happen-some lndescrloaole re-
Fulslon OF national feeling or some disturbance
OF social equillbrium-When the keystone of
realty was struck away, and the Sacred Being
men men had Worshipped for twenty cycles, laying
earth, earthly. Public opinion, however. proved
10 De completely at fault The faith on witch
the loyalty OF the japanese people rests sho Wed
Itself to be independent OF form.
Almost before the reality Of the metamorpho-
Sis had been fairly credited by the outer world.
we were DeW1ldered by the extraordinary spec,
tacle Of proietaries and pariahs gazing uncon.
cernedly on the Dragons visage" Of which
aspe ct was accounted fatal to human vision.
Some good folk were seriously scandaIIzed by
this suddenly developed spirit of irreVerence.
IL seemed 10 them that the demon Of revolution
was ABROAD, when the Emperor'S presence
ELECTED from aliens demonstrators OF respect
denied to him by his own subtects The truth
was that Japanese had for the most part no
hats to take off. and being denied the privilege
OF rubbing their foreheads in the dust. all thar
remained for them was to adopt the negative
course OF doing nothing. Whether they regret
10 take their own share OF the road whoever
happened to be their feiloW-raveier, ana to
Keep their doors open even when royalty
passed, there ought not to be much difficulty 10
cOnJectur1ng. But they sought for no further
privilege. The phantom Of democracy, which.
according to political prophets. had been evoked
s 0eyond me possibility of exorcism. never as
quietly along In its old grooves.
Meanwhile We cannot doubt that the Em-
peror, unhesitatingly as he has adopted his
altered role, must have found the new char
acter very difficult to sustain. Everything
that he was required to do he has done with
grace and dignity. Inauguration OF bubble
enterprises, reviews, receptions and so forth.
have constantly been honored by his presence.
and he has taken his place In the council
chamber. not perhaps as ruler with active
functions and original projects, but still as a
real, no longer an ideal, head OF the state. So
1aT, however, as intercourse with the world In
european sense Is concerned, he has Remained
almost as much secluded as ever and to ex-
pect that 1t could have been otherwise would
nave been scarcely reasonable. His conduct In
sucn matters was altogether regulated Dy his
ministers, and by many CT his valued advisers
what he had done was deemed enough. Their
counsels, Lot perhaps unsupported by his
own NOMINATIONS. nor ye5 urged altogether
emperor presence rather than an tnfl uanca
In the state. His Intercourse with his an nj acsS
has been less real than nominal: he has sean
life With the eyes OF Others, and rrodden q natn
are visible - 0ApSiion0o
month ago we had to ten OF HUNTING ax.
petition In which Ills Majesty took as acr9va
part as any OF his courtiers: nov an orSsr ..
Issued by the Household Department. reduc no
the EmperOr's body guard to a mere fractios
OF ns former strength, except On officfal occa.
sions-Irom which It may fairly pe inferred
tnat the frequent occurrence of unofficial occa-
sl0ns Is contemplated In the Immediate future
-ano we are very much mistaken IL his MaIes-
y Iash0n OF life Is not soon assimilated to
mat OF an English or French potensate.