The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-08-16
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 l2:43
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 10 their grief when the an
nouncement of his death was made.
All the imperial princes who had
bea within the vicinity of the i'm
perial palace since the beginning or
the serious period Of his illness on
July 10 were summoned 10 the sick
chamber last evening and remained
there till the mikado expired.
Accomplished Great Reforms.
Mutsuhito possessed a personality
of which but little is generally known.
Of a quiet, unassuming nature, yet
possessed of a will Of iron, he &C
complished 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 a place in the front rank OF ma
tons. His reign began in 1867 and
hat Of oil hn 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 8. 1852. He was the second
son of Emperor Komei and succeeded
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
treaty made in 1856 after the visit
of the expedition commanded by Com
modore Perry, the American naval
officer. In 1924. This threw open
some ports to foreign trade. Ii 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
er 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 frocG 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.-President
Taft and official Washington went into
mourning upon receipt OF news OF the
death of the Japanese emperor. 4
number of minor ambassadorial enter
? tainments were cancelled and il 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 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.
I The president sent the following
: telegram TO the new Japanese EN-
I peror:
Ion the sad occasion Of the death
of His Majesty. the Emperor Mutsu
O hito. your illustrious father. offer tc
i your majesty my most profound sym
patty and that of the government
I and people OF the United States.
: Accept my good wishes for Ions
O and prosperous reign and the con
tinuance of the welfare of the Japan
' csc empire.
o WILLIAM II. TAFT"