Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-01-12

.Pbe SuIer Of Japan
He owns Acres of Palaces and i
Enormously Wealthy His
Daily Life Empress and
Crown Prince

Daily Life Empress and
Crown Prince.
There Is no ruler in the world. eX.
cepting, perhaps, the Gar, - interest
ing to-day n the Emperor OF Japan
writes Frank q. Carpenter He ha.
moved trom the capital, Toxic, 400
miles westward, 10 his naval station at
Hiroshima, where he has practically
taken charge of hi army. Parliament
and his cabinet are with him. and he
i directing the naval and military
forces by telegraph No monarch in
the world iS less understood The
world knows little about him. You
hear little said about him in Japan
and the information which | got had
To be worked for Even then it comes
only in response to many questions.
The present Emperor Of Japan was
kept in a sort OF glass cage. tigurately
speaking during the first oi hi, liTe.
lie Is forty six years old, aud was put
on the throne at the age Of fifteen.
This was when the Shogun VA. still
commander-in-chiei of the army. and
was practically the ruler OF Japan
At this time the Mikado was 50 holy
that no one mentioned hi> name
" hen 1t WAS necessary To write let
ter was left ont from reference. He
was, like the Emperor Of China, a
sort of Il Son of Heaven. He was
kept in his dig palace, surrounded hy
a lot ot servants. Whenever he went
out 1t WAS Il closed cart, consequently
he knew nothing whatever OF what
was gong on in Japan. His throne
looked more like four poster bed
stead than anything else 1t WAS Gov
cred with fine white silk, but the En-
peror sat cross.legged on the floor,
with Il couple of swords beside him.
! had to take off my shoes before |
was admitted into the pelace, and |
walked for mile over soft matted
floors. The palace Is altogether Japa-
nesc in structure Ii has sliding walls
covered with gold leaf and it is dec
GRATED with paintings by the old Japa-
nese masters. 1t was in this palace
the Emperor received the foreigners
for the first time about twenty-six
years ago.
The home Of the Mikado at Toxic
is far different from these old Japa-
nese palaces in kioto. He has vast
estate right in the centre OF the city.
made up of hill and valley, containing
lakes and woods and vast one-storv
palaces. 1t is surrounded bv three
moats, some Of which YOU find soldiers
in modern uniforms. These moats
are in places from 100 TO 200 feet
wide. They are filled with water.
and magnificent lotus flowers float
upon them on sheets of green leaves.
His palaces are now Il combination
of Europe and Japan. They cost
S3,000.000 The walls of many of
these rooms are made Of immense plate
glass doors in lacqucred frames, 50
arranged that Il number Of rooms can
be thrown into one. Some ARE ceiled
with the most magnificent enbroider-
les.
The Emperor keep, his eye on
everything. He rises early and break
ta>ts at about : o'clock. He uses Il
knife and fork whenever he takes for
eign food, but he prefers the cEopsticks
at his japanese dinners He eats both
kinds of food and Is very fond OF rice,
taking il with every meal He likes
meats and is by no means averse 10
sweets. He usually east his breakfast
alone and also his lunch. His dinner
Is served III table d'hotc style, with all
the European accomplishments Con-
trary to the regular practice in .Iapa-
nese families, his wife often sits at the
table with him, and also the Crown
Prince. His work begins "a soon as
his breakfast i over. From until
II he receives his Ministers. After
this he takes his lunch. and then
spends 4 little time in reading news
papers. lie watches closely the Jap.
anese press, keeps track Of current
public opinion, and, venture 10 saw.
changes his actions somewhat 10 suit
it. All the papers are looked over
for him, and the passages he should
see are marked Ordinary mi.state-
ments or criticisms he passes over, but
if a newspaper becomes at all danger
ous, he gives an order to his censors
and the newspaper is stopped, while
lis editors are liable 10 be thrown into
prison
The Mika'lo i by no means poor
man He receives about $1,000. 900
TN~\r~~N~~
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