Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-09-19
JAPAN'S NATIONAL HERO
COMMITS SUICIDE.
Captured Port Arthur From
Russians i'm 1904.
Hnxv of IS ViaxvOd Inv JAnAn

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der date of September 18th, state that
Gen. Count Maresuke Nogi, supreme
military councillor of the japanese
empire, and his wife. the Countess
Nogi, committed suicide in accord
ance with the ancient Japanese GUS
tom as a final tribute to their depart
ed Emperor and friend, Mutsuhito.
The General cut his throat with a
short sword and the Countess COM
mittcd hari -kiri-stabbed herself.
The name of Nogi became famous
during the Russo-Japanese war, and
it was Nogi who captured the Rus
sian stronghold, Port Arthur, in the
year 1904.
The view taken by the japanese
of Nogi's rash act is given in the fol-
lowing statement by Mock Joya, pub
lished in the New York World:
"In the new Japan, modernized and
civilized, the spirit of the ancient Japan
csc warriors still remains, in spite of the
fact that outsiders believe Western civil
ization and modern science drove the an
cient spirits of "Bushido" out of the
country.
1.-The sacrifice of General Nogi and his
wife, which the world outside of Japan
cannot understand, is nothing but the
manifestation of the spirit which has lain
deep i'll the heart of the japanese thro'
The history of rs centuries. The General
followed the old custom originated in the
sixth century before Christ and followed
the spirit of "Bushdo" to lay down his
life for his Emperor, even making a sac
rifce which the Western world would
look upon as an insane act.
1.-The life of japanese belongs to the
Emperor, who is father and ruler, with
absolute command. Every achievement
of the japanese is attributed to the pow
err of the Emperor, and the heroes of vie
tory always won battles by virtue of the
Emperor. To sacrifice ones life for the
Emperor of his country is an honor.
Mothers and wives VINO lost sons and
husbands in wars did not grieve; on the
contrary, they were happy because their
sons or husbands had the honor to serve
the Emperor and his country. Many SOL
diers killed themselves when for one rea-
son or another the call of the war did not
reach them. They would not live, as
they could not have the opportunity to
give their lives to the Emperor and his
country.
Ever since Emperor Jinmu assembled
the throne in GO b. c. the spirit of
"Bushido" has ruled the whole nation.
Until the fourth century A. d. it had
been the custom when the Emperor died
for the highest officials of the court and
the greatest warriors to kill themselves
and follow the Emperor to the world be-
yond and be his servants, serving and
protecting him as they served his Majes-
ty in this world.
During this period there was always
argument as to who should follow the
Emperor and who should remain behind,
and many who were left behind were not
happy until they committed suicide and
followed the Emperor and their COM
rades.
but at the beginning of the fourth
century the custom of committing suicide
at the death of the Emperor was prohib-
tied by the Imperial family, and instead
the custom was introduced of burrying
several clay dolls around the body of the
Emperor to guard and protect his Majes-
ty along the route to the other world and
in the world beyond. This custom re-
mains in the present Japan, and four clay
dolls, in armor of ancient fashion, will be
buried with the body of the late Empe-
ror.
when the illness of the late Emperor
became known two japanese committed
suicide, and the whole world laughed at
them as lunatics or as the followers of
an inscrutable custom of Japan. They
were not lunatics. They had reverently
committed suicide in the hope of dying
in the place of the Emperor. They kill
ed themselves hoping that their devotion
and love for the Emperor might move
the Great God to save his life.
Foreign writer's have called the Jap
anese Emperor Emperor with the pow
err of Pope" but the description cannot
give the slightest idea as to how the Jap
anese Emperor stands in the eyes and
hearts of the Japanese. The Japanese
Emperor is divine and stands over the
people as their father and ruler. In the
long history of Japan no war against the
Emperor was ever made.
1.-THE tradition of the origin of the
country made profound impression on
mind of the Japanese. The Imperial fam
lily was the first family to come to the
island of Japan, and from that one fam
lily the whole population of Japan grew.
The Imperial family is the source of the
hundreds of thousands of families in ia
pan. and the worship of forefathers and
the respect for the Emperor result in deep
reverence toward the Imperial family.
1.-THE death of General Nogi and his
wife is dramatic and picturesque illus
tration Of the beautiful spirit of Japan.
General Nogi became divine, as he
now guards the late Emperor and guides
the spirit of the country from the world