The Detroit times., 1912-07-30

| Mutsuhlto the emperor OF Dali Nip
pom (Japanl. had a history unparal :
| leled among the rulers OF the world.
| tie was born Nov. ,, 1852, and was put
hfteen years old when he became EN-
peror. In February. 1867. upon the
! death OF his father, Otahito, better
known under the posthumous title oil
| komei Tenno.
when he assembled the throne Andre "
| Johnson was president OF the United
States
The dead ruler was about the most
| blue blooded monarch on earth. The
| hrst OF his family on the Nippon throne.
| so Japanese history says. reigned about
1900 years ago--long before julius
! Caesar tried to seize the crown on the
! Lupercal. and 400 years before Alex
ander the Great thought he had con-
quered the whole world. Mutsuhlto was
the l2lst emperor OF the family dy-
nasty
Mutsuhito assembled the throne a mere
lad. ard faced the powerful shotgun or
minister Of state-a descendant OF a
FAMILY or shoguns who had for CEN
turtles been rulers in fact while the en-
perors were hgureheads.
Otahito had begun the conflict with
, the ruling Shotgun. and at his death his
young son continued the night until he
had. with the help of people tired
OF the shoguns' tyranny, established
himself as absolute ruler guided OF
course by a sort OF constitutional gov
eminent. but really more autocratic
The people literally worshipped Nut
suhito Is a demi-god. Although but an
infrequent traveller throughout hts
kingdom. he was better loved by his
people than probably any other ruler
in the nations history.
Disastrous wars at the beginning OF
his reign left the country well nigh
bankrupt of gold and men. The en-
peror tnaugurated period OF recuper-
alton, during which ne built up indus
! tries, introduced western reforms and.
beginning at the bottom made over the
! army and navy
/ with difficulty he succeeded In
restraining the more impetuous OF his
advisers and the people themselves
( from rushing Into war with China be-
fore he thought they were ready When
he did think so in 1894 the utter defeat
OF China was the result. Korea was
made an independent nation. and fol-
lowing the war with Russia was an
nexed to Japan in 1910.
The war with China made Japan a
recognized world power. Then 10 years
later. when the emperor's fighting men.
drilled by German officers and modelled
after German standards. stopped the
Russian bear from further encroach-
nents In the orient. Japan took rank
with the few really big powers.
Mutsuhito. taller physically than the
ordinary Japanese. was broad shout
dered and slightly STOPPING He was
always cordial TO foreigners and spoke
In a low. clear. pleasing voice. He
were carefully trimmed In the western
style. Unlike most of his subjects. he
parted his hair instead OF comblng II
backwards He was hard worker
and well educated His recreations
were wrestling. fishing and hunting
Long years ago the emperor intro
fuced the wearing OF eastern clothes,
u,scarding the native dress. The mem
bers OF his court were ordered much
against their wishes. TO do likewise
When II he married Haruko. the
daughter OF nobleman. The empress
has had no children. but this does no;
msar that the emperor had none ne
was the father OF several children,
only -four OF whom are now living
one son, the new emperor, and three
daughters According to custom. the
Japanese ruler has IL ladies' wait
iDE who are a part OF his establish
rcnt, and who serve as secon larry
ia Japan. we'll educated accomplished
and beautiful They have their own
apartments, and are rarely IL ever.
seei outside.
the city OF Toxic, where a thousand
acres OF gardens. beautiful lawns and
splendid buildings are surrounded by
water and a high wall HIS annuai
which was paid by the government
and the rest derived from private es-
tatts He owned 5000, 900 acres ~
forest land 800 600 acres OF cultivated
and about 10000 acres Of real estate
In the cities Besides these possessions
no had several palaces over 400 head
OF pedigteed horses and $50 900 0O1
worth OF stocks and bonds
according TO the Japanese notion.
| tho emperor was very generous 10 his
subjects. endowinE q few hospitals
carving on no little charity work and
lcoutributing 10 educational institu-
lions. But az the same time millions
of Ills subjects were living va the
dirssl poverty