The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-08-01
JAPAN'S EMPEROR
DIES At TOKYO
Crown Prince, Yoshihito, Sue
Ceeds to Throne.
10000 GATHER AT PALACE
Mutsuhito Led His Nation Through
Period Of Transformation and
Radical Reform-Been
Ruler Since 1867.

Tokyo, July 30.-Mutsuhito, the
emperor of Japan, died at 1913
o'clock this morning. Acute nephritis
was given as the cause of death.
The crown prince, Yoshihito, has
succeeded to the throne.
Tens of thousands of persons who
had gathered in the park about the
palace, prepared to spend the night
in prayer for the emperor, gave ex-
preston to their grief when the an
nouncement of his death was made.
All the imperial princes who had
ben within the vicinity Of the i'm
perial palace since the beginning of
the serious period of his Illness on
July 10 were summoned to the sick
chamber last evening and remained
there till the mikado expired.
Accomplished Great Reforms.
Mutsuhto possessed a personality
OF which but little is generally known.
OF a quiet, unassuming nature, yet
possessed of a will of iron, he &C.
complshed great reforms.
| AS a statesman he commanded the
respect of the nations of the world.
AS a leader of his people in peace
and in war he was both loved and
feared. To his virtues they attributed
the victories over their enemies by
land and sea. To his wisdom they
credited the advance Of ancient Japan
to. place in the front rank of ma
tons. His reign began in 1867 and
outlasted that Of all but two or three
living monarchs.
Under the rule of Mutsuhito Japan
enjoyed an unprecedented era of pros
perity. Civilization has made rapid
strides. The arts and ideas of the
western world have been adopted and
Japan has emerged from darkness
into light. '
Career Started In Storm.
Mutsuhito was born In Kyoto No
vember 3, 1852. He was the second
to the throne on the death of his
father in 1867, becoming the one hun,
dred and twenty-first emperor of
Japan The country was then In a
ferment owing to concessions which
had been granted as the result of q
treaty made In 1856 after the visit
of the expedition commanded by Com
modore Perry, the American naval
officer. in 1854 This threw open
some ports to foreign trade 1t was
only by force of arms that the new
ruler enforced his decree and saved
japan from a reversion to primitive
conditions.
Era of Progress is Opened.
In 1869 the emperor established a
deliberative assembly. This and 9th
err reforms then inaugurated ended
feudalism. which had existed for cen
turtles in Japan, and the nation moved
forward on the road of progress.
Everything European was eagerly
adopted, including frock coats and
patent leather boots for officials. Tor
ture was abolished in 1873 and a
modern judicial code was authorized.
The first railway was built in 1872 and
the English language was taught In
common schools,
Washington Goes In Mourning.
Washington, July 30-Presdent
Taft and official Washington went into
mourning upon receipt of news Of the
death of the Japanese emperor. A
number of minor ambassadorial enter.
tainments were cancelled and it is
probable that there will be a ban on
official pleasures of this nature for
some time.
The death OF the Japanese ruler
came as something of a personal
shock to the president, who had met
Mutsuhito several times on his junket
to the east and also during his term
of Office as governor of the Philip
pines.
Taft Sends Coincidence.
) The president sent the following
telegram to the new Japanese EN-.
peror:
"On the sad occasion of the death
of His Majesty, the Emperor Mutsu.
hito, your illustrious father. offer to
your majesty my most profound sym,
pathy and that Of the government
and people of the United States
Accept my good wishes for a long
and prosperous reign and the con,
tinuance Of the welfare OF the Japan,
csc empire.
WILLIAM H. TAFT"
Toxic, Japan, July 3O.-Special:
Mikado Yoshihito, Japan's new ruler
. decided tonight to call the session Of
parliament together. He wants tC
tell his subjects it is his ambition tC
continue the modernization of Japan
With parliament in session he car
outline his policy to the largest pos
sible number of the country's most
influential men. His majesty is much
exhausted by his long vigilance al
his dying fathers bedside. He was
hardly able to get through the elabo
!, rate ceremonies which marked his &C
cession to the throne.
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