The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-01-05
THE RULER OF JAPAN.
He Owns Acres of Palaces and is
Enormously Wealthy--His Daily
Life Empress and Crown
Prince.

There + no ruler in the world, except
ing. perhaps. the Gar % interesting to-day
a the Emperor of Japan writes Frank q,
Carpenter. He has moved from the caP-
tai Toxic. l0O miles westward. Ia his
naval station at Hirushima where he has
practically taken charge of his army
Parliament and his cabinet are with him.
and he Is directing the naval and military
forces by telegraph M monarch IN the
world Is les, understood. The world
knows little about him You hear little
said about him in Japan aud the intor
nation which got had to be worked f"r.
Even then It comes only IN response to-
many questions.
The present Emperor Of japan was kept
in sort % glass cage. hgurately speaking,
during The trs, of bis life lie i forty
six yearS I'D. and was put on the throne
at the age Of fifteen Thi, was when the
Shncun was still commander -n-ehiei OF
the array and was pracrically the ruler of
Japan. At this time the Alikado was 50
holy that no one mentioned his name.
When i, Wa necessary to write 1t a letter
was left out from reverence. He was. ike
thr Emperor nf China, sort ot son oi
Heaven Tie was kept in his dig palace
surrounded by "A lot of servants. When
ever he went out il was IN closed cart,
consequently he knew nothing whatever Of
what was going on in Japan. HIS Throne
locked mere like four poster bedstead
than ANYTHING else Il was covered with
tine white silk, but the Eaperur sat css's,-
legged un the floor with a couple of swords
beside him had 10 take of nav shoes
before was admitted into the palace. and
| walked for mile over soft matted Aocrs
The palace Is altogether Japanese IN siruc-
ture Il has sliding walls covered with
gold leaf and it Is decorated with paintings
hy the old japanese masters i was in
this palace the Emperor received the
foreigners for the first time ahont twenty
siX years aeo.
The home nf the Mikado a, Tokio is far
different from these old japanese palaces
in Kioto. He has vast estate right IN
the center Of the city, made up Of Hill and
valley. containing lakes and woeds and
vast one-story palaces. Ii Is surrounded
by three moats. some Of which are crossed
by marble bridges and al all Of which
You lind soldiers in modern uniforms.
These moat> are in places from loo to POO
feet wide They are filled with water.
and magnificent lotus flowers float upon
{ u g.
His palaces are new combination oi
Europe and Japan They cost 81, 400,
n0H The walls of many If these rnoms
arr plade Of immense plate glass doors IN
lacquered frames, "a arranged that NUM-
/ her Of rooms can be thrown into one.
/ Some are ceiled with the most magnificent
embrmderies
The Emperor keeps his eye On every
thing. He rises early and breakfasts at
about o clock. He uses knife and
/ fork whenever he takes foreign food, but
he prefers the chopsticks at his japanese
dinners. He eats both kinds of food and
is very fond Of rice, taking ii with every
meal. lie likes meats and Is By no means
averse to sweets He usually eats his
breakfast alone and also his lunch His
dinner is served in table Il hote style with
all the European accomplishments Con
( trary to the regular practice in japanese
families. his wife often sits AT the table
7 with him. and also the Crown Prince
I His work begins as soon as his breakfast
Is over. From until - he receives his
/ Ministers. After this he takes his mnch
and then spends little time in reading
/ newspapers. He watches closely the Jap
anese press. keeps track of current public
/ opinion. and. | venture to say. changes his
( actions somewhat To suit it. All the papers
are looked over for him, and the passages
/ he should see are marked Ordinary mis-
statements 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 its editors
are liable to be thrown into prison.
The Mikado is by no means a poor man.
He receives about 81. 500. 600 year Il
keep up his palace and his household
establishment, and he has besides large
private fortune Mr. Sannomiya. his
: l;rand Master of Ceremonies told me that
he was good business man. He has I
great deal Of money in public land.
+ The Emperor of Japan is entitled to b'
considered the most aristocratic ruler oi
earth. The royal family Of Japan has ;
genealogical tree which reaches to heaven