The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-19
How The REPRESENTATIVES Of FOREIGN
Powers Fare in the Land Of
the Mikdd0.
BY FRANK l. cooMBs. Ex-MNsTER TO JAPAN

come to conduct you thither Your
wife not forming a part of the off
cIaP' occasion is not permitted to ride
In the imperial carriage. The moment
you drive away your attention is called
to the servants of the legation, with
their man servants and their maid ser
wants, their relatives by blood and by
marriage swelling the number tenfold
all interested spectators of that event
which will enable you to see and speak
to their Emperor, whom they never
see. Even this little incident will
afford you food for Observation-Disclosures
as to why forty million people who
never see their sovereign should revere
above all things an institution which
makes certain such conditions. Once
inside the carriage you will observe
the embroidered trimmings, with the
imperial crest, the siXteen-petaled
crySanthemum, the use of which is
forbidden in the empire save by the
Government. 1t is often simulated by
numbers more or less than sixteen, yet
no imitator adopts the forbidden num-
Der, for it is the badge of imperialism,
You finally, after a drive of 4 couple
Of miles, come to moat, and crossing
over a stone bridge, the gates are
thrown open and you proceed through
shrubs. On your left, drawn up in line
of salute, you see the Imperial Guard,
brilliant in scarlet and gold, and the
bugle, clear and musical, announces
your approach to the palace. If you
expected lofty spires and gilded domes
riValing the beauties of the Tai Me-
hal you would meet with disappoint-
ment, as you see before you a low
building of Japanese architecture. You
mount the broad steps and are con-
Quoted into a large hall plainly illus
trating to your mind that the beauties
of the palace are to be found on the
inside. How can it be described? Not
at all. 1t is place of art, if art means
beauty expressed in simplicity. No
extra trappingS of a European court;
no majestical roof fretted with golden
fire" On the other hand, every piece
of wood shows its forest color. Here
| and there is a piece of bronze inlaid
with gold or piece of cloisonne Won
derful in design and workmanship. The
ceilings are decorated with embroi-
dered tapestry. The doors are of mas
| SlVe lacquer. Symmetry has so blend
ed the beauties that it leaves upon the
mind no indelible impression of the
prominence of any one feature. You
may look out upon a graveled court
where fountains are playing, and
finally the water dripping away in lit
tie streams whose banks are lined with
MOSES and spanned with fairy bridges
In an opposite direction, upon a wall in
! appropriate place, you behold an en-
! broldered picture pOrtraying some ma
| tlonal event which transpired when the
| empire was divided by factions and
clans fought for mastery. Or perhaps
] a tHn
of pilgrims vending their way to a
! temple
Your reflections upon the way this
people had preserved memories of the
! deeds of many centuries where the
! arts OF peace and war flourished, are
! suddenly interrupted by the appear
ance of the Marquis Naheshima, mas
ter of ceremonies, with the announce
| ment that you are to accompany him
! and that the madame, for the present,
is to remain. You proceed through cor
ridors until finally coming to the audi
| ence chamber you turn to your right
and find yourself facing his Majesty
| the Emperor. After the accustomed
| salutation you advance to within few
! feet OF him, proceed to read your adj
| dress, and at its conclusion present to
him your letter of credence-that little
character of Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary, with all the
cares and responsibilities of your own
Government, and imposes upon you
such reciprocal obligations as the ac-
ceptance of it might entail The EN-
peror replies to you, each sentence be-
ing interpreted as he proceeds, and
during this time you avail yourself OF
the opportunity which a little time
affords to observe your surroundings.
There is the absence of golden throne
and jeweled crown, such as your boyish
fancy might once have seen in dreams
of Oriental splendor.
On the contrary, the Emperor stands
before you in military attire, his sword
by his side and the badges of the i'm
perial orders shining upon his breast
Surrounded by the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, the Minister for the House
hold Department and court attendants,
dressed as he was, except each accord
ing to his rank, he looked like a gen.
eral with his aides-d e-camp in council
of war. The Emperor is a man OF
much force Of character, but tyrant
custom has hemmed him in and silent
fate plays continually upon the chords
of life. He gives you that appearance
of ennui which one might mistake for
utter Indifference, yet behind this mask
is the keenest interest. Surrounded by
Ministers and the innumerable court
attendants so indispensable to the pa
geantry Of imperial power, nothing
comes to him from the outside world
save through them, and nothing goes
out save through the Ministers. Hence
it is that a people brave and emotional
still look upon him as the divine source
of power, and visit all the anathemas
of discomfort upon the Ministers them
selves.
Standing upon this vantage ground
looking into the past and upon the
conditions which are in measure
prophetic, one is compelled to reflect
upon the changes to be wrought The
Crown Prince, about II years Of age,
has mixed considerably with the out
side world. He probably has his likes
and dislikes, and will take to the
throne knowledge of politics,
knowledge of men, their motives and
ambitions; under these conditions, who