The Mena weekly star., 1908-10-29

Japan witnessed Thursday night the
 most extraordinary evidence of the
 spirit of the new Japan. After having
 an audience of the officers of the
 American battleship fleet on Tuesday
 the emperor issued an order directing
 the people to increase in every way
 possible the enjoyment, comfort and
 pleasure of the American visitors whe
 came, he said, as historic friends of
 the Japanese nation. The response to
 this imperial mandate was seen and
 heard Thursday night. Originally
 torchlight procession of 15,000 people
 was planned as part of Thursdays
 program, but this feature went far be-
 yond expectations and developed one
 of the greatest popular demonstra-
 tions and outpourings of an enthusi-
 astic people ever witnessed in any country. Japans war celebrations, af- ter peace with Russia, London's "Mafeking night and even New York's election night revel would seem almost insignificant compared
 with Tokyos celebration Thursday
 night. It would be impossible to es- timate the number of people who took | part in the parade and the myriads
 of spectators. Mile after mile, through
 madly cheering people the great pro cession wound it's way. Representa- lives of various guilds, universities, schools of every class for boys and
 other organizations took part in the parade, each individual carrying a | lighted lantern held high on a long pole with American and Japanese flags intertwined. Admiral Sperry and the other chief officers of the American fleet viewed the procession from a special stand, standing with barred | heads above the sea of waving Ian | terms, the deafening roar of cheers 1 and the clash of the music from scores of bands which played the American national hymn continuously. So dense I became the crowds around the stand
 where the American officers stood, ] that the entire procession was
 blocked until Admiral Sperry was ] forced to leave in order to keep an engagement at the dinner given by | Minister of Foreign Affairs Komura. Again at the American embassy the
 great procession halted and the climax | of the enthusiasm was reached. al | though Ambassador O'Brien was not at the embassy at the time. He, too, | had left to attend the function at the residence of the foreign minister. When the head of the procession ar
 rived at the embassy and halted, Mrs. | O'Brien and the other ladies of the
 embassy appeared upon the veranda and received a prolonged ovation from l the crowds, every man and boy among the paraders lifting his hat to the 1 ladies, while there were continuous
 shouts for the American ambassador | The entire grounds surrounding the ' embassy were lighted with sea of | lanterns and the demonstration at this | point lasted for two hours, the ladies of the embassy viewing it until they were forced to leave to keep a dinner
 engagement Even then the parade
 was not resumed for more than an
 hour. Every band in Tokyo turned
 out for the parade and their favorite l airs were Yankee Doodle,' "Dixie, | and "John Browns" Thousands of the paraders wore fantastic costumes
 characteristic of Japanese celebrations.
 Every foreigner in Tokyo was deep
 Iy impressed by Thursday nights re-
 markable demonstration, coming as it
 did from an ordinarily undemonstra. 1 tive people.