New-York tribune., 1910-05-09
SON OF A SH0CUN HERE
Prince TokugaWa of Japan Says
Visit Is Not Political.
MAKES STRONG PEACE PLEA
Man Who Might Have Been
Island Empires Ruler Max
ing Leisurely Trip.

Prince Tokugawa Iyesato. President OF
the Japanese House of Peers since 1908,
created no stir at all when he and ms
small bodysuard of attendants walked into
the Plaza Hotel little before O'Clock
last evening and were whisked up to his
suite on the second floor. overlooking the
mark His arrival was as quiet as that OF
Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, but the CLERK
at the desk did not repeat the mistake
made in the latter's case of assigning Nun
! to quarters opening on an tairshaft. Ihes
knew who he was UP there, but Prince sal
Tao. of the reigning house Of China, had
inst left the place and why should fuss
be made over a mere japanese peer
And vet Prince Tokugawa at one time
stood a good chance Of being the real ruler
! of Japan, nlightier power than the MI
kado. He is the present head OF the Illus
trious Tokugawa family, the third son OF
the last slogun of Japan. The Shog1ns o1
Japan. like the major doTnos or masters 't
the palace for the French kings before
Charlemagne, ran things i'll their day The
Mikados were then mere fgureheads, too
sacred To he shown to the people ana MD
den away in the inner recesses of the pal
ace. where they could do no harm The
shogun distributed the patronage and CUT
off the heads sometimes even the head ol
a Nikado, it has been whispered.
But no one ever knew about that for sure
probablv not even Prince Tokugawa. For
he was only three years old when the reYo-
luton occurred which sheared his father 81
his power and introduced the present MI
kado to his subjects, making him ruler de
facto The fact that the sixteenth heir TO
the Shotgun Tokugawa Iyeyasu is to-day
mere prince, and not even a royal prince
! NAV be blamed on this uprising. He IS
| decorated with the Grand Gordon of the
Rising Sun and holds court rank Of the
senior second grade.
His Statement All Prepared.
''The object of nv present journey" the
prince announces in the printed circular
which he had prepared for all newspaper
men before entering this country, ls TO
visit the Anglo-Japanese exhibition i'll Lon
! don and to look al places of interest on the
way. I have no other object in crossing
! America beyond desiring TO see for myself
the immense development which has taken
place there, and also to refresh my reco-
lection of the time when l passed through
| there before.
| His use of the adverb there" may mean
| that he handed out this selfsame statement
to the japanese reporters before leaving
Toxic. The idea that his following so close
" on the heels of Prince Tsai Tao is an at
tempt on Japan's part to counteract what
ever effect the Chinese princes visit might
have in this country has been argued AS
absurd by Washington officials, who poiat
to the gulf between the two princes in rank.
My present Journey adds his circular,
has no official or political significance
whatever and 1 am undertaking it in quite
!
sonaI enjoyment"
The prince is a stocky little man, clean
shaven. His hair sticks up :sht, but is
not allowed to stick far, and he wears gold
trimmed spectacles. He is very affable, but
| not overwhelmingly communicative AL
though he educated In England some
questions are likely to blunt his command
| of the English language, particularly ques-
| tons about Japanese politics and about the
| Japanese policy in Corea.
| K. Midzuno, Japanese Consul General in
this city, was on hand at the hotel to greet
| his exceIlency." (This was the consul
generals method of addressing the prince
| in English the newspaper men followed
suit with good results.) The consul gen
eral explained that the princes visit here
would be particularly quiet out of respect
/ to the memory of King Edward Last
night he dined quietly at Mr.. Midzuno's
| home To-day he will look over the Clear
! ing House, the Stock Exchange and the
| National City Bank and be entertained
at luncheon by the Japan Society of Amer
lea in the rooms of the Railroad Club. No.
| so Church street.
Second Visit to America.
This evening the principal Japanese resi-
dents of the city will give dinner for the
t distinguished visitor at Sherry's. Melville
! Z. Stone, Of The Associated Press, will
have him as his guest at luncheon at the
! Lawyers Club on Tuesday noon. Tuesday