Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-03-31
JAPANESE SOLDIERS DUTY.
What the Emperor Expects OF His
Fighting Men.

EVERY JdpdIlcSc SOiulcT VII hio ShiAo>
ment receives a summary Of the SOL
diers duty drawn up by the emperor,
as a basis of his moral training. These
five articles, so remarkable for their |
high ethical spirit, are translated into
English in the Fortnightly Review.
They are as follows;
(1) The principal duty Of soldiers Is
loyalty to sovereign and country. 1t Is
not probable that any one born In this
country will be wanting In patriotism;
but for soldiers this virtue Is 30 es-
sential that, unless a man be strong
in patriotism, he will be unified for
his service. Disloyal men are like
dolls, however expert and skillful they
may be in their military art and
science, and a troop which Is well
trained and led, but lacks patriotism,
Is like a band without q chief. The
protection of a country and the main
tenance Of its prestige must rest upon
our military and naval forces; their
efficiency or deterioration must AFFECT,
for good or evil, the fate Of our ma
ton; and it is, therefore, your duty
not to entangle yourself with social
matters or political questions, but
strictly to confine yourself to the OBJ
servance Of your principal duty. which
is loyalty, remembering always that
duty is heavier than a mountain (and
so to be much regarded,) while death
Is lighter than a feather, (and, there
FORE to be despised) Never spoil
your good name by a violation Of good
faith.
CD Soldiers must be polite in their
behavior and ways. In the army and
navy there are hierarchical ranks from
the marshal to the private or blue
jacket, which bind together the whole
for command, and there are also the
gradations of seniority within the
same rank. The junior must obey the
senior, the inferior must take orders
from the superior, who transmits to
them our direct command and infer
ior and junior officers and men must
pay respect to their superiors and sem
iors, even though they be not their d.
rect superiors and seniors. Superiors
must never be proud or naughty to-
ward those Of a lower rank, and sever
ity Of discipline must be reserved for
exceptional cases. In all other cases
superiors must treat those beneath
them with kindness and especial Glenn
ency, so that all men may unite as
one man in the service Of the country.
II you do not observe courtesy Of be-
havior, IL interiors treat their super
iors with disrespect, or superiors their
interiors with harshness, If in a word,
the Harmonious relations between su-
periors and interiors be lost you will
be not only playing havoc with the
army, but committing serious crime
against the country.
(3) 1t is incumbent upon soldiers to
be brave and courageous. These two
virtues have in this country been al
ways held in very high esteem, and are
indeed indispensable to our nation;
soldiers, whose profession Is to fight
against the foe, should never for one
instant forget that they must be brave.
But there is a true bravery and a
false one, which Is totally different,
and the rough behavior Of youth can
not be called true bravery. A man OF
arms must always act with reason and
makes his plans with sang froid and
care. You must never despise even
small body Of the enemy on the other
hand, you must never be afraid OF
large numbers; 1t Is in the accomplish
ment of duty that true bravery lies.
Those who thus appreciate true brav-
cry will always behave with modera-
ton toward others, and will learn the
respect Of all men. II you act with
violence you are not truly brave, and
will be hated by others, like a tiger
or a wolf.
| (4l Soldiers are required to be faith
ful and righteous. Faithfulness and
righteousness are among the ordinary
duties Of man; the man Of arms can
scarcely exist without them. BY the
former is meant the keeping Of ones
word, by the latter, the accomplish
ment of duty. Hence, II you wish to
be faithful and righteous, you must
first consider whether a thing may be
done or not. If you promise to do
something, the nature Of which Is un-
certain, and so entangle yourself with
others, you will be In an embarrass-
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become unfaithful or unrighteous; and
in such a case you will have no rem
edy, but only vain regrets. Before
embarking on any action, you must
first consider whether 1t Is right or
wrong to do such thing, and then
take a firm stand upon reason. If
you have reason to think that you can
not keep your word, or that the duty is
too heavy, 1t will be wise IL you re-
frain from action. The history OF all
ages gives us examples Of the truth
of this; many great men and heroes
have perished or dishonored them
selves by trying to be faithful and
righteous in small things. and mistak-
ing fundamental reasons, or by observ-
ing individual faithfulness at the ex-
pense Of justice. You must take heed
not to fall in this way.
60 It is incumbent upon soldiers to
be simple and frugal. If you do not
observe simplicity and frugality you
will become weak and false-hearted,
and accustom yourself to luxurious
habits which lead to cupidity. In
that case your mind will become igno-
BILE, and neither your loyalty nor your
bravery will avail to save you from
the contempt and hatred Of your fell
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