The Washington herald., 1912-08-05

The recent illness OF the Mikado has
once more centered the attention Of the
occident upon Nippon. for the life story
OF Mutsuhito, is the history OF modern
Japan. There is nothing written in the
annals OF international romance that Is
more wonderful. Conceive a country that
maintains a system Of feudalism to-day
and stands forth tomorrow for nearly
everything that Is by us associated with
enlightened government. and you have
an idea of the startling change that came
over Japan when Mutsuhito. then a boy
of fifteen. succeeded to the throne In
1867.
For many centuries Japan. with true
i Oriental phlegm. had lived under EN-
perors who were mere figureheads bereft
Of all authority. the puppets of the mill
tary dictator known as the ''Shogun."
who In reality was the ruler of Japan.
But when Mutsuhito ascended the throne
the day of the Shotgun and the Poohbah
was at an end. In the new era OF reform
thus inaugurated the grand figure of
Marquis Hirobumi Ito stands out like that
Of Prince Bismarck IN the making Of the
| new Germany, but only the direct. the
personal influence of the Mikado ever
could have achieved without bloodshed
| and civil war the memorable event of
| 1883. when the absolute monarchy was
abolished. and a constitution more liberal
| than that Of some of the great Western
powers substituted.
Mutsuhito's first step after his corona
ton was to grant an audience to the rep
resentatives Of the foreign powers. a
concession that never before had been
made by the dynasty. II came as n
great surprise to the people OF Japan
and almost made them doubt the reality
OF the imperial parsonage. Nor was 1t
much less strange to the Europeans to
realize the privilege in being permitted
to look upon a person that millioSs OF
japanese never had been allowed TO
see.
His next step was to found the i'm
perial government, which. up to his time.
had been regarded as merely spiritual
in character. upon a firm temporal basis
that befitted modern ideas By decree
he solidified the Eastern and Western
Of Japan and made Tokyo the capital
The result was a rebellion. The insur-
gents were In possession Of the fleet and
the entire strength OF the land force
was threatening the new ruler. Still he
quelled the opposition. And II is sig
nificant Illustration of the character and
the magnanimity of the Emperor, that
the leading rebels subsequently were pro-
moted to Offices of trust and honor, He
terest enemy. to take part in the gov
ernment, which. however. was declined.
Another important event of the new
reign was ushered in when the powerful
Damios, lords of the soil. were made
to yield their feudal rights into the En- |
peror's hands. In order TO raise the na-
tional character by perpetusting the CEN |
tralization Of power in the imperial gov |
ernment, to the end that IL might take |
its place with the other civilized nations |
OF the world. The results Of this policy |
are known now TO all the world. Am |
bassadors were sent everywhere: consul |
ates were established in every great |
seaport; railways, steamships, light
houses, telegraphs. telephones. dockyards. |
institutions of learning and for benev- |
olent purposes Were founded: all forms !
OF religions are being tolerated: Justice |
Is administered as perfectly as 1t is any
where on earth. In fact, while monarch |
ical. Japan is copying in most II not
in all respects republican methods OF a |
republic.
But whatever has been Mutsuhito's
precise share in the regeneration of |
Japan. there can be no doubt as to his !
unique services to Japanese woman 7
kind. He has raised the woman OF his |
dignity Of the sex in the Western !
world. This moreover. although the |
Emperor is still exempt from the laws |
OF marriage which have been imposed
upon his subjects. His consort who Is
eighteen months his senior. Is the first !
Empress of Japan who has been ad-
mitted TO her husbands table and, be-
ing as responsive to the ideals of prog
ress as the Emperor himself, she has
proved a worthy helpmeet in promot-
ing those social reforms which entitle
modern Japan TO rank with the civil
lied nations of the world.
The Emperor has figured largely in
all phases of Japan's remarkable prog
ress in recent years. In military af-
fairs particularly has he manifested a
deep interest. In times of peace he has
shown this by participation in military
reviews and maneuvers and in gradua-
tion ceremonies of military and naval |
colleges. by his indefatigable personal
concern in the success of the policy /
which has brought Japan's military
and naval establishments to their pres
ent efficiency. This was notably shown
when he -intervened at the time of the
disagreement between the Cabinet un-
der Marquis Ito. and the Diet regard
ing the appropriations for the national
defense.
The Emperor addressed a message to
the Cabinet and the House, in which he
said:
THE question of national defense is
one that brooks no delay. and in order
to show our own sense OF its paramount
Importance We have ordered the ex-
penses Of our household to be reduced. so
that We may he able to contribute
yearly sum of 10000 yen for the next six
years for the necessary equipment of the
defenses''
At the same time he directed that all
officers OF the government should con- ,
tribute one-tenth of their salaries for
the same term toward the expenses of
naval construction.
Mutsuhito was born amidst the noun
tains of Kioto in 1852. as the second son
of the Mikado Komel. Screened within
luxurious gardens, the boy passed his ,
first sixteen years. His early education
was supervised by his mother, who must
have been a woman Of exceptional char
acter and attainments, and who, under {
the then existing conditions, was very
liberal