Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-30
RULED FORTY YEARS.
Mikado Of Japan Had Long and Sue
cessful Reign and Was Beloved.

Mikado Of Japan Had Long and sue.
csssfui Reign and Was Beloved.
Mutsuhito, the one hundred and
twenty first emperor of Japan. was
born at. Kioto on Nov. 3. 1852, the. Sec
ond son Of the late Emperor Komel.
upon whose death, in 1867. he succeed
ed to the throne. He was crowned at
Kioto on Oct. IL. 1868. Eleven days
later he chose the name OF Meiji to
designate the era Of his reign. He
married on Feb. 9. 1869. the third
daughter Of Ichijo Tadaka. a noble Of
the first rank. His wife was born In
1850. She is known as her imperial
majesty Haruko.
The new mikado is Yoshihito, the
third son Of Mutsuhito. who was born
on Aug. 81, 1879. He was nominated
heir apparent in 1887 and proclaimed
crown prince in 1885, Prince Yoshi-
hito has served in the army and navy
of his country, and in 1909 became both
lieutenant general and q vice adj
miral. Or May 10. 1900, he married
Princess Sabako. fourth daughter OF
Prince Kujo Michitaka.
Yoshihito has three sons. the young
est Of whom was born in 1905.
Mutshihito possessed a personality OF
which little is generally known. VI
quiet. unassuming nature. vet pos
sessed Of will Of iron,he accomplished
great reforms. AS a statesman No
commanded the respect Of the nations
Of the world. AS a leader of his people
in peace and war he was both loved
and feared. To his virtues they at
tributed the victories over their enc
mics by land and sea.
To his wisdom they credited the adj
vance of ancient Japan to place IN
the front rank OF nations. His reign
outlasted that OF all but two or three
living monarchs. Under the rule OF
Mutsuhito Japan enjoyed an unpre-
cedented era Of prosperity. Civiliza-
ton made rapid strides. The arts and
ideas of the western world have been
adopted and Japan has emerged from
darkness into light.
When Mutsuhito became emperor
Japan was in ferment owing to con-
cesstons which had been granted as a
result of q treaty made in 1855 after
the visit OF the expedition commanded
by Commodore Perry. the American
naval officer, in 1924
Ports Opened 20 World.
eign trade. It was only by force OF
arms that the new ruler enforced MS
decree and saved Japan from a rever-
sion to primitive conditions Mutsuhi-
to invited representatives OF foreign
governments to an audience IN 1893.
While on the way to the cap1tai SIT
Henry Parkes. the British minister.
was attacked by a body Of Two sworded
Samurai and narrowly escaped aesas-
sination. The emperor made all pos
sible reparation and moved the capital
from Kioto to Yedo and marked the
event by remaining the city Toxic,
which means eastern capital.
In 1859 the emperor established
deliberatfve assembly. This and other
reforms then inaugurated ended feud-
aiism. which had existed for centuries
in Japan. and the nation moved FOR
ward on the road OF progress. Torture
was abolished In 1873 and roderr
judicial code was authorized. The nrs'
railway was built in 1872 and the Eng
ush language was taught in common
schools.
Victorious in Two Wars.
Mutsuhito took a leading part II
letting down the bars to other nations
but IL was not until 1894 that he sue
ceeded in obtaining revision OF treat
| les with other nations. In the same
wear. 1894. war broke out with China
The emperor prepared for the cam.
paisn with great zeal. He reviewed
| the troops in person as they left thu
shore Of Japan for Corea and Man
churia. and later distributed reward
to those who won distinction. In tn
| war with Russia. 19o45. he again ad'
dressed the departing troops and vel
coined the returning army.
| The emperor realized early IN M
career that Japan's supremacy IN tn
east depended upon its ability to rul'
the seas and he promptly added modern
battleships and fast armored cruiser
to Japan's navy He armed his troop
with modern rifles. and the perform
ance Of the japanese soldier In the nell
amazed the European experts VIII
watched the advance into Manchuria
Mutshito was the first oriental mon
arch to form an offensive and defenstv
ialliance with a first rate European
power.
Al Once.