Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-30

4
| the ministers of state. the councillors
and other dignitaries
| The ceremony at the sanctuary will be
| repeated In the next two days. A more
| Impressive scene occurred in the throne
room OF the palace when the new En-
peror Yoshihito received the sacred
| treasures. His Majesty entered the hall,
preceded by the minister of the house
| hold the chief of the board of eere-
| monies, the lord chamberlain, military
and naval aides and the imperial princes.
| He was followed by Prince Yamagata,
| secretary of the privy council Marquis
| Inouye, councillor of state and others
| of similar rank the premier. Marquis
| Saionji, the ministers of state, marshal,
| generals and admirals.
The Emperor assembled the throne. be-
/ fore which had been placed simple wood
en- tables. On these reposed the sacred
sword and necklace, two of the three
| sacred treasures. The third sacred treas
| uee, the mirror, which is deposited in the
shrine of Ise, will be received by the
| Emperor, later. The imperial and ma
| tional seals also were taken over by His
Majesty. who Immediately arose and,
standing, received the homage of the
entire assemblage. This concluded the
| ceremony.
The Emperor then retired, followed by
| the military aides bearing the sacred
| treasures. and the lord chamberlain, who
| bore the seals.
| Probably the funeral will take place
within month at Kiete where the Emf
| peror had expressed desire to be buried,
on the site Of Mauritania palace, built
| hx UIidaxraebi in
| der the household law the public cor
| onation of Emperor Yoshhito must he
held at Kioti, This probably will take
place about one year hence.
A new era commences. the name of
which will be announced, tomorrow, to-
gether with other details on which the
council of state is now engaged.
There is a possibility that special
| session of Parliament will lbe called for
the purpose of securing the fullest CO.
operation.
1t is believed the accession of the new
| Emperor will not change the situation
| with regard to the policies of Japan.
Yoshihito is highly respected by his sub
iects. The ceremonies. this morning, in
| connection with his accession under the
| Constitution promulgated under his
| ness as his predecessor
The American ambassador. Charles
| Page Bryan. was the first caller at the
palace after the announcement of the
death of the Emperor. He was aceompa-
MED by Charles J. Arnett, Japanese sec
| rotary and interpreter, and presented con-
| dolenees All tho Powers have been no.
| titled and the foreign representatives
l xuiII coll
Mutsuihito. Emperor of Japan. re-
vered by his subjects almost as
demi-God. possessed personality of
which but little was generally known.
OF quiet. unassuming nature, yet
| possessed of a will of iron. he ac-
| complished great reforms. AS a
statesman he commanded the respect
of the nations of the world. AS
| leader of his people in peace and in
war he was loved and feared. To his
virtues they attributed the victories
over their enemies by land and sea.
! To his wisdom they credited the adj
vance of ancient Japan to a place in
the front ranks of nations.
His reign began in 1867 and outlast-
| ed that Of ali but two or three liv-
| ing Monarchs. Under the rule of Nut
suihito. Japan enjoined an unprece-
dented era of prosperity. Civilization
has made rapid strides. The ideas
of the Western world have been
| adopted and Japan has emerged from
| darkness into light.
Mutsuihito was born in Kinoto,
| November 3. 1852. He was the second
son of Emperor Komei, and succeeded
to the throne on the death of his
father In 1867, becoming the 12lst En-
| peror.
! The country was then in a ferment,
| owing to concessions which had been
| granted as the result of a treaty made
! in 1885, after the visit of the eXpe-
dition commanded by Commodore
Perry. the American naval officer, in
| 1924. This threw open some ports
| to foreign trade. 1t was only by force
of arms that the new ruler enforced
| his decree. and passed into the primi-
| tive state of affairs. Mutsuihito in
| vited representatives of foreign gov
ernments to an audience in 1868.
| While on his way to. the capital,
| Sir Henry Parkes, the British minis
/ ter, was attacked by body of two
| sworded Samura and narrowly escap-
| ed assassination. The Emperor made
! all possible reparation and moved the
capital to Yedo and marked the event
| by remaining in the city Toxic, which
| means eastern capital.
| In 1862 the Emperor established
| deliberative assembly. This and other
reforms then inaugurated ended feud-
al'sm, which had existed for centuries
| IN Japan, and the nation moved for
| ward on the road of progress.
Torture was abolished and mod
| ern judicial code was authorized by
Mutsuihito. The first railway was
| built in 1872 and the English language
| WAS taught in common schools.
| Opposition to these sweeping changes
developed in the period from 1876 to 1884
! and Mutsuihite faced thrice serious re-
| bellious movements during that period.
| He suppressed these and China, having
indicated her inability to punish certain
form of pirates for outrages committed
on Japanese ships, Mutsuihito landed q
force on the Island of Formosa, chas-
| tised the bandits and remained In pos
| session until Janap had Indemnity