The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-17

DlO1A1AnCAlL AEa4EAS AEA lltE great =
= var that is now being waged in =
= Asia. No foreign war in many =
= years has so interested the >
= American public as this out >
break of hostilities between Rus
= STA, "the most Oriental Of Occi- =
= dental peoples, and Japan, the >
y most Occidental Of Oriental peO-
= piles"
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During the Chinese war Of 1894 and
1895 the military headquarters for
the conduct Of the war were estab-
lished at Hiroshima, on the Island
sea. close by Kure. the chief naval
station Of the empire, and Ujina, the
headquarters port Of the transport
deet.
Within a month after the opening
Of the war the emperor removed
with the government to Hiroshima
and remained there until the sue
cessfuI termination OF that affair. He
was quartered in the old castle,
which retains still its citadel and
tow ers, and all Hiroshima was but
headquarters station. Every tea
house in town, all the temple guest
rooms, and the empty houses We're
taken for official use, and there were
no diplomats and daily papers to ask
for audience and interviews. Tour
lists were warned away. There was
little room for them on the trains,
and the alien visitor, finding no place
to lay his head, was forced 10 so
away. a.
The foreign war correspondents,
who came condescendingly to bless
the amusing little empire with their
presence and expected at the least
TO be headquarters guests, finding
themselves negligible quantities.
vowed their praises and presence to
the Chinese aTmSr-but were not able
to get any nearer TO the seat of war
than the Shanghai bund, IN whose
hotels they sat at east and wrote war
news TO measure.
Some years ago the Philistine for.
eigner used to have much to say
about the emperor being a mere. fig
urehead in the government. an au-
toHatOn who nodded assent to any
thing the ministers decided upon;
that not the sovereign but someone
else Tar cleverer ran the government.
Prime ministers and cabinets have
changed With frequency since then
ana none has been permanent in the
councils Of the empire save the seri-
Gus, nard working, unresting emperor.
Marquis Ito goes abroad for six
months and a year at a time, remains
4 in his Oiso villa for whole seasons
without coming up TO the capital, and
others Of the elder statesmen who
have worked so powerfully TO help
create modern Japan are as remote
for long periods from the imperial
presence, yet the government goes
on just the same. Some one strong.
intelligent leader of men Is always
present, and an unvarying. consist
ent course is followed no matter who
holds the portfolios, and proof sim
ply piles upon proof that the en-
Deror himself rules Japan: that the
government abides in that work
room of the palace pane1ed with satin
gray cedar wood, the cedar wood of
a thousand years, the cabinet and
study of Japan's admirable and
adored ruler. Never was situation
calling for great and wise sovereign
more fully met than when his ma
1esty, MutsO Hito. emerged from Sc
ciusion to lead and enlighten his peO-
pie, TO choose the fit instruments to
help him create new Japan.
VIII the present crown prince, when
he comes TO throne. enjoy the same
sacred regard as the emperor Can
this child OF modern Japan evoke the
same passionate patriotism as the
sovereign to whom so much of the
old mystery and divine saelusion
clings. who is the link between the old
and the new? One must often ask
these questions, and, recognizing
what the emperor has been to his
people. wonder what viii come when
this wise ruler passes the sacred
sword and mirror TO a successor.
Until the crown prince showed him
self likely to outlive a delicate child
hood the emperors cousin, Prince
Afisugawa was looked upon as the
successor 10 the throne. Haru no
Miya was watched over and no prince
could have been more fearfully treas
ured He had the most careful train
ing. diet and exercise, and the Ger
man professor who. directed the
school of medicine in the imperial
university was especially charged
with his welfare. The japanese feel
that they almost owe the life. Ger
tainly the more robust health Of this
once most delicate child. to the de-
voted and conscientious care of Dr..
Bae.z.
AZ a small boy the crown prince
went for time to the peers school.
and quite Economically. played
with and SAT in classes with other
boys. tQs+tas CONSERVATION Of the con
serxatirt old officials. who could