New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-17
PROGRESS IN JAPAN
AN ANCIENT EMPIRE AND A MODERN CON-
STTTUTIoN

sKempol kempoP fIDe cons"'NoA my
Constitutonis These words for years IN tine
minds OF statesmen and for months on tne hps
Of the citizens ere to-day througnoue japan on
the tongues Of all the dwcllers III tnis lsIand En-
pire. The suspicious day. the llNi oil Feoruary'
has come On that day, more than twenty-four
cent,,,iss am Jmrnu Tenno Japari's first Emperor,
landed ON tbe MAR, island accompanied by. his
fsitbfnl knia,ss. and laid the foundation of an
empire as unique in It's conception as it was TO
he memorable In its history. This day then
suitable above all others. ws selected for the pro-
r,plsation AZ a Constitution anil for the granting
~ herties rs,yer before enjoyed by the people OF
these wide and fertile realms In token Of this
the bonses In Toxic are decorated. the bridges
embeYished BY triumphal arches, artificial lowers
and eyergreens and the horses triczed out with
little aags and ribbons, while Tags wave and dut-
,er from the gates windows and house tops; while
singing girls and school children pass through the
streets singing songs in concert and festive cars
parade the thoroughfares with banners bearing
the inscription: Long Life 70 the Emperor
or . Good Fortune to the Nationl' fa
The centre Of attraction. however, is the i'm
perial palace the lofty gate at its entrance is the
cyposure of oil eyes. In the chief hall high upon
his throne is seated the Emperor in his state robes
before him stand the Princes Of the Blood, the
members Of his Cabinet, and the hirhest nobility;
while to his right, and littk lower, the Empress
has taken her scat, with the Princesses of the
Blood and the ladies' in waiting at her side. The
gallery is slled by selected audience and news
paper correspondents Before the throne are the
Imperial insignia the Sword. the Jewel and the
Priyy Seal Beside the ancient nobility of birth
and the recently created nobility of merit, the
generals and colonies of the Imperial bolyguard
and the foreign iplomatists easily observed in
the august assembly gathered in the chief hall
The Emperor's entrance has been welcomed by the
playing of the National anthem short but
solemn pause ensues Then the Emperor rises,
and. bowling slightly. addresses those present as
follows: swhereas. We make it the Joy and
glory of Our heart to behold the prosperity Of Our
country and the welfare Of Our subjects We do
hereby in virtue of the supreme power We IN
berit from Our Imperial Ancestors, promulgate the
present immutabk fundamental law. for the sake
of Our present subjects and their descendants
The Imperial Founder of Our House and Our other
Imperial Ancestors by the help and support OF the
forefathefs OF Our subjects. laid the
foundation OF Our Empire upon .
basis which Is 70 last forever, That this
brilliant achievement embellishes the annals OF
Our country is due to the glorious virtues Of Our
Sacred Imperial Ancestors, and 10 the loyalty and
Try ana their public spirit Considering that Our
subjects are the descendants of the loyal and good
subjects of Our Imperial Ancestors, We doubt not
but that Our subjects viii be guided by Our
view, and win sympathize with ali Our endeavors,
and that, harm onousy cooperating together, they
will share with Us Our hope of making manifest
the glory Of Our country, both at home and
abroad, and Of securing for ever the stability OF
the work bequeathed to Us by Our Imperial An
cestors.S
Thus the Emperor concludes, hands the scroll
of the Constitution to the MiniStcr-PreSident Of
State, Count Kuroda, and, bowling slightly, with
draws, followed by the Empress: while the cannon
in Toxic thunder forth prompt salute OF 1ol
guns, announcing to the dense multitude outside
the palace that q constitutional form of'Govern-
mens has taken the place Of time-honored bat
longer impossible autocracy. Slowly, almost re-
zzetfnllr the assembly djspersess eAs n o'clock
there is parade of the troops before the Emperor;
&C o'clock there is q dinner In the Banquetng
Hall, given by the Emperor to the Princes OF the
Blood, to Count Kuroda Count Ho, and the other
Cabinet Ministers, as well as to the foreign repre-
sentatives and their ladies; while an Imperial
reception at o'clock 10 wider circle brings TO
conclusion the Official ceremonies of the day. In
the meantime, the PEOPLE also have celebrated the
occasion: torchlight procession of the students
Of the Imperial University has taken place: large
and small professions march through the streets;
gas and electric jets are SO arranged as to show
the words Long Live the Emperor" fireworks
sre displayed and cclored lanterns. arranged sngy
or in festoons, shine before every house and hang
across every thoroughfare; while banquets are
given throughout the city, and the telegraph
Offices are busy wiring the news to the country.
As regards the Constitution. it declares with
NJ fha md
pcrpetuity Of the throne. The legislative func-
tions of the throne are TO be exercised with the
consent OF Parliament From this the Emperor
can. when Parliament does not sit, deviate only
In case public safety demands it, but any law 30
made must be submitted to Parla-
ment at its next session and becomes
invalid when thea disapproved The En-
peror appoints and dismisses the officials, and
fixes their salaries; he has the command Of the
army ami navy; power of making war, peace and
treaties; declares the law Of siege; cenfers titles
Of nobility and forth orders amnesties, pardons
and rehabilitations. The citizen, on the other
hand, is free to change his abode 40 viii; cannot
be arrested, searched for, or punished except
according to law; and is, within the same limits.
entitled to the right Of property, freedom Of re-
Iigious belief, of public meeting, OF speech and
association, and has the right OF petition. The
Parliament consists OF two houses. the Peers and
the Representatives The first partly hereditary,
partly nominated by the Emperor for life, and
partly elected for seven years by the highest tax
payers. with the EmperoFs approval The House
Of Representatives consists of 800 members elected
by open ballot: its members must be thirty years
81 age and must be paying annually fifteen yen
Of national taxes, but army, navy and police
officers. as well as priests are not eligible Tks
yetsrs must be twenty-five years Of age, and must
be paying the same amount OF taxes as those
eligible; ssmy and navy officers In active service
cannoy vote. The House sits for four years, three
months annually; but this term may be pro-
lonsed, or extra sessions called. Parliament dis
cGsses and votes the budget, and sanctions also
ill special expenditures; but from it's power in