The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-28
FEAST OF THE WOMEN.
Japan's Present Emperor the First to
Honor Them in His Land.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer

From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
While the United States is celebrat-
ing the Inauguration of the president,
their japanese cousins are preparing
for their great national holiday. The
Sd of April commentaries the acces-
sion of Jimmu, the first emperor, who
formed the Japanese empire $500 years
before Christ. On that day the Emper-
or Mitsu- Hitu will complete column
of verses containing 5000 couplets, all
composed since the last feast of Jimmu,
and will lay down his pen and bow
his head to receive his laurels as the
greatest poet under the sun.
The feast of the Jimmu will this year
be the greatest japanese anniversary
ever celebrated. 1t will be, out of COM
pliment to the Mikado, "The Feast of
Women" for it is women whom he has
striNen to benefit. The. Japanese en-
peror throughout the forty-siX years of
his life has made 4 speciality of women
and their advancement, and with such
wisdom has he conducted this, his life
| long hobby, that on his death his birth
| day will probably pass into a national
Feast of Women" holiday. In the alb
sence Of such a day regularly establish
! ed Jimmu will this year be devoted
principally to clarifying the emperor.
And what has he done? The Mikado
was the first man, royal or otherwise,
| to celebrate a silver wedding in Japan.
| On the occasion of the twenty-fifth an
niversary of his marriage he ordered
that a great feast and rejoicing take
place People were invited and gifts in
silver were presented. Never before
had a Japanse empress been so hon
| ored.
TIL Mikado is also the first Japanese
ruler who allowed his wife to sit on his
throne with him. Mitsu-H Hitu not only
allowed but insisted that FuGaka should
remain by his side, and he has fire.
nuently deferred to her in matters OF
judgment.
In 1889 he declared himself no longer
absolute monarch of Japan. He estab-
lishcd g. constitutional government
| with a parliament" or Congress,
and asked assistance in governing his
| people. He is said to have done this
because he noticed that women were
afraid of absolute monarchs, and did
not enjoy their society as they did
those of less arbitrary tastes.
Another thing done by the emperor
was the establishment of the Woman's
hospital in Akasaka, Toxic. He made
the empress the patroness and takes
great pride in maintaining 1t In the
most scientific manner. 1t has wards
free to the poor, as we'll as pay wards
for wealthy people.
The emperor while wishing to benefit
women as a sex, is very fond of then
personally. He has his standards o.
beauty and desires his favorites and
the women of his kingdom to live III
to them. For one thing, he disikeI
the stained teeth and shaven eyebrow!
of the japanese women, and has com
pelled the empress to whiten her teetl
and allow her eyebrows to grow. Thi
style is spreading throughout Japar
until you may look among the bette
class for a long time without seeinI
the blackened teeth and defective eye
brows of fifty years ago.
The emperor is fond of athletics 70
women. He has placed a gymnasium
in the palace and has purchased
riding habit for the empress. Sh
was the first woman in Japan to rid
horseback.
When the Dowager empress died il
February the emperor expended 800,
900 burying her, and so elaborate wer
the ceremonies that they lasted tw
whole days.
The emperor is the first japanese VIII
, had his wife sit down at his own table
, Mikado and Princess eat opposite on
another and are served with the sam
,, dishes and eat the same food.
! Noticing that distinguished an
beautiful American woman Visitin
japan ate with knife and fork, hi
majesty learned to use these imple
ments, and now his English dinners
are served with knife and fork. Hi
usual diet, though, is taken with tn
J chOpsticks of the Orient.
On this occasion he also noticed tn
superior height of American womer
, and on inquiring the cause was tol
that it was probably the fish and fes
eaten by Christians. Without com
mitting himself i'm so many words hi
majesty intimated that a few extr
inches added to the stature OF the wo
men of Japan would not injure thei
beauty and lamented that the Budd
= hists prohibit fish and flesh, thus givin
his court to understand that an In
| fringement of the laws would not caus
their instant dismissal This was un
doubtedly a provision of his majest
, for future generations, for 1t is severs
centuries before the stunting effects {
1 a lack-meat diet are overcome.
| The emperor is the greatest livin