New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-25
HONORING THE MIKADO.
QUAINT ETIQUETTE OF AN IMPERIAL PROG
RESS IN JAPAN.

whole "orbed maiden with white fire laden u
decidedly buggy And it is all on account OF
the Mlado himself His Majesty and the En-
press went thither April ,, for the first time
in four years and were received by the people
Wish much enthusiasm ana numerous fireworks.
Thousands oil men, women and children STOOD
in the streets in pouring r..n z9c
three four hours, to see their NaJesties pass
by from tie railroad station TO the palace. There
was not much fuss and feathers about the Royal
procession. however. On account of the severe
storm, the Emperor and Empress rode in close
carriages. making it impossible for them to salute
the crowds very impressively even had japanese
etiquette allowed them to do so, which 1t did
not and they were attended by about thirty
cavalrymen. The next day the Emperor visited
the tomb of his father, and later in the week
formally opened the Kioto-Riwa canal. SO much
for the plain facts of the case. Now for tM
varnish-the Japannng.
That ranstruck procession did not please ths
correspondent Of The Kobe Herald who witt
messed it. Perhaps his umbrella leaked and tho
rain got down the back Of his neck. Perhaps IN
conformity with japanese etiquette he folded MI
umbrella and stood barehe1ded III the rain whie
the Emperor passed by. At any rate his soul
was grieved. and in bitterness OF spirit he wrots
that the Emperor took not the slightest notice
of the profound bows of his loyal subjects, and
if their spirits were not depressed by the rain,
I should think that they were by what call
the want of courtesy OF the Emperor OF Japan.
So there. II that be treason, make the most
of it and make the punishment suit the crime.
IL doesn't really sound as bad as " The Pail NAH
Gazette's7 reference TO the Prince OF Wales as
the fat little man who cut such sorry hgure'
does it? And think an American paper once
described the President of the United States
not the present President-as looking grumpy
as boiled OWL" or words TO that effect.
But The Kobe Herald has an esteemed
contemporary. The Japan Mall OF Yokohama
And these esteemed contemporaries love each otaei
after the most approved fashion of The Arizona
Kicker type. So The Mall promptly observed
that the words | have quoted from " The Herald
were the grossest piece of rudeness ever perpe-
trated by any foreign newspaper toward inc
Sovereign Of Japan, =. The posts of the country,
il added. ought to be closed against The hoDe
Herald If that journals correspondent knew
ANYTHING of japanese etiquette, he would Kho"
that the Emperor never bows 70 crowd DO,
there again. I'm the Emperor of Japan-ana
I'm his champiOn-eect
Next The Japan Herald took up the cudgeh
for its Kobe namesa,le. and remarked that In
The Mails championship of the Emperor there
is a fine air of tlunkeyism, worthy of IhacHerays
.Jeames de la Pluclse in cAcelsls WIN INN
second Richmond in the field The Mall tooH
three days in which 10 prepare for the fray' ana
then rushed forth with a full column, win three
lines of headings. 1t waXed eloquent IN us de
nunciation of the insult offered to the Emperor
and of the article which villpended the oov'
ereicn.9 Its esteemed contemporary, it declared,
gories in its ndecency with It's own pc
cnliar coarseness7 1t lamented that the law
miScrednt.
ever. it continued. in spirit of exalted 1or.
bearancc. the erring correspondent viii be the
first 10 regret his laundering discourtesy Ha
nrohablv intended simply 10 record the TACT that
Japanesc etiquette, in respect 10 the demeahor OF
the sovereign toward the subject Is different from
Western etiquette. and that. in his OPINION, inc
latter is preferable. Not being sufficiently edu-
Gated. he could not manage to say it without using
rude expressions That is. he did as well as
he knew. but he didn't know much.
This article The Japan Herald promptly
characterized as nearly a column OF ABUSE
mingled with falsehoOds and haleluJahs OF
nunkeyism.7 And the original sinner, Inc
Kobe Herald put in its word again, 70 this
effect: The remarks of orr correspondents
were made we may mention. from the point OF
view Of an Engshman. not from that OF
turnkey in the employ of the japanese Govern-
ment and were not only perfectly natural under
the circumstances. but were fully justified by
consideration of the change which has already
been made. and is still in course Of operation. in
the Government manners and customs of Japan
In the year in which National Assembly is to
be inaugurated in the country the days are gone
by when the Mkado was a seml-dlylnlty upon
whom no man was allowed to look. and upon
whose appearance every one was expected to bow
his head upon the ground. new era has
arrived, and if His Majesty chooses To appear in
public 70 receive the loyal welcome of his SUBJ
ects he may very well he expected by foreign
or. who has not tine honor to belong to the staff
of His Majestys menials. Ia make some acknowl-
edgment OF the royal expressions of his subjects
There at present the warfare rests. But both
parties to the conflict reported TO he pre-
paring pens of uncommon sharpness and ink Of
surprising redness: and when the next encounter
occurs the everlasting heights of Fusiyama itself
Will tremble.
How far the old customs still survive in this
land Of marvellous progress was strikingy shown
NJ Kioto during His Majestys visit. In the old
DAYS il was not allowable that any one should
occupy a hiahcr place than the Emperor or
Shotgun when in the atters presence, and this
rule was still adhered 10 in kl0t0, when the
shutters of all upper stories closed tight
during the Royal passage through the streets. no
one being allowed To occupy any place higher
than the ground. Al one portion Of the route a
party OF Foreigners were ODSPTNcI IOohlnS through
a chink opening in the shutters. and they
at once requested by the police TO como
down.
The Empress is going TO do some mora
ira ceiling about the country, and in the Asahi
Shmbun' of Osaka-imagine New-lort news
boy crying the name Of that papcr'-.l lind this
notification of her route and the etiquette to be
observed by the faithful
Her Majesty will visit Osaka about the 23d.
She Will stay ut Nara TWO days. at Sakurai two
days. at Tahaapoto one day. and at toshino one
day. The following regulations are proclaimed
for the guidance of the people while Her Majesty
is passing through this city Of Osaka:
/. When her Majesty shall pass along no
one must look at her from thc frame built on
houses for the drying OF clothes. or through
cracks in doors, or from any position in the upper
portion of their houses.
g If anybody wishes to see Her Majesty,
he or she must sit down at the side of the road
by which Her Majesty will pass. All children
Il. o. Int tkaA do