Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-09

I"T
her forehead high and her head finely
formed. The first song sung In our
school was one which the empress her
self wrote. She looks as if the pomps
and ceremonies of the court were rath-
er a bore to her.
The Japanese change in costume did
not of course necessitate relinquish-
ment of the crown jewels, and the ems
press has very fine collection of gems,
besides two crowns, or tiaras, one of
which is valued at 100000. The two
sovereigns are allowed for their MAIN
tenance about 100000 yen year from
the civil lists, which is rather more
than half that sum in dollars.
MAY the imperial house rule through
| TO- 600 generations. The empire Of Ja-
pan shall be reigned over and governed
| by a line of emperors unbroken for
ages eternal" say the Japanese. But
there was a time not long since
when the imperial succession seemed
to hang by very slender thread, and
today the danger of break in the
Hong dynastic line is by no means avert
ed, for the only son of the emperor was
at one time sick nigh unto death and
has never enjoyed robust health.
Yoshi Hito, who was installed crown
prince of Japan at the age of 10, was
born Aug. 81, 1870 and is now 81 years
old. 1t was not long ago that Dame
Rumor had it that he was coming to
/ America in search of a wife, but this
was proved incorrect by the betrothal
soon after of the prince and q daughter
lof the Fujiwara clan, the Princess Sada
Kujo, thus acting in accordance with
lprecedent and selecting wife from the
Japanese nobility. His father was
I cd of he ere. nj 1h h11t the nrinCa
has not inherited his good health, and,
in fact, is said to have consumption,
and has been carefully nursed along
until thought strong enough for the
matrimonial venture. His wife, who
has been selected with especial care in
I view of dynastic contingencies, is tall
ented and highly educated, strong and
healthy, though only 10 years old, and
recently a little schoolgirl in, short
Icothes studiously absorbed in her less
sons.
They were married on the 10th of last
May, and the ceremonies attendant up-
on the function We're most magnificent,
the bridal presents alone aggregating
more than 100000. An audience to all
the foreign ministers followed the cere-
mony, and afterward reception and
banquet, to which 1000 persons were
invited Another innovation was the
asking in marriage of the princess by
the prince, instead of having her "ap-
pointed" by imperial go betweens.
1t indicated complete revolution in
social affairs and accentuated the in
auguration of new order OF things.
But after the people had recovered
from their surprise they realized that
the dead past was buried and that their
future emperor and empress were to be
much more in touch with themselves
than any one Of the ancient line from
(which they boosted their long descent.
The Japanese lament not only that
their prince lacks his fathers genius
and superb health, but the equally no
!torious fact that he is not a descendant
in the direct line from both sides o
that imperial house which shines s.
llustrously in their country's annals. III
is. indeed, the son of the emperor, bu
not of the empress, his mother bein
of Mime. Yanagiwara, court lady of no
in BILE blood, but what is known in Japa
tn as a secondary wife" or concubtne
Wy the nikado being allowed dozen Q
no this character, in order that the EN-
De, iperor may not be without an heir
ne But even as it is, the imperial house
as Japan has come perilously near to ex
he tinction in the direct male line, for o
s 1
k his secondary wives-the empress be
nd ing childless-none remains to perpet
a uate the dynasty save this sickly youni
lily man of Il.
These four comprise today the rep
"a resentatives of that heaven descende'
r. line of the original mikado. All Japa'
lily regards them as the visible embodi
he ments of power, majesty and authority
on Most strikingly conspicuous in this i'm
is perial group is the great mikado him
he self, he who has thrust his nation for
,b- ward to first rank among the powers
) a who has astonished the world by tn
dy efficiency and perfection of his arm
lat and navy, who has shown that he an
Tvs his people possess wisdom and fore
an. thought, as well as a surplusage of er
ga ergy, and who in a single generatio
tic. has developed the latent resources {
vo- the country beyond the anticipations {
md the most optimistic believer in mar
LET kinds boundless possibilities.
lin. FREDERICK A. ODER.