New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-10
Encouraged Her Husband
to Adopt Western Ideas

The Empress Haru 10 was the widow
Of Emperor Mutsuhito, who died in July,
1912 There is no law in japan requiring
the occupant or the heir to the throne to
wed a person OF royal rank, although Of
course the customs OF social caste are
well observed. So when young Mutsuhito
sought a bride-he was then only sixteen
years Of age-he found her in the person
man of the first rank.
Haru 10 was two years older than he,
having been born on May IS. 1850, and
she was at that time a young woman OF
rare beauty and grace. They were
married on February 9, 1859, when Nut
suhito had been on the throne about a
year and after the Shogunate had been
abolished and the Mikado had como out
of the clustered secluson OF Kioto and
Yeddo, or Toxic.
The princess had been educated under
the old regime. but she was In fun
sympathy with the new order OF affairs
and entered into IT with intelligent and
discreet zeal So far as they appeared
TO her to be advantageous she adopted
Western ways and methods of life, in
Guiding dress, though she never lost her
fondness for the picturesque garb OF
Japan and frequently donned it on oc-
casions purely Japanese.
She encouraged her husband in his
adoption Of advanced systems of govern
mental administration. and took keen
interest In the opening and progress OF
the empire. She was lover OF peace,
but when war came she displayed spir-
Il worthy of daughter OF warriors.
During tho Satsuma rebellion she
placed herself at the head Of an extern
sive and efficient society OF benevolent
workers in the hospitals. and through her
example and efforts secured the organi-
cation of the Haku-M Sha. or Philan-
thropic Association, which In time be-
came the japanese Red Cross. 1t was
regularly united with the international
Red Cross in 1886 In this organization
Haru 10 took a deep and active interest
seldom failing to attend its general meet
ings. and contributing much time, labor
and wealth to It's advancement.
Leader Of tho Red Cross.
Some of It's works in which she was
personally engaged were the relief Of the
sufferers from the great eruption OF
Mount Bandai, in 1sss. and the earthquake
OF Mino and Dwarf in 1891. During the
war with China and afterward In the
Formosan campaign the Empress led the
Red Cross in noble eXertions for the sue
cor OF the needy.
Six thousand bandages were sent from
the royal household in n single consign-
ment. I'm October. 1894. hearing Of which a
number OF ladies of the Red Cross In
France sent to the Empress a box OF
bandage- making machino-v, with re-
quest that she would personally use IL
and compare II with the machinery used
for the purpose in Japan. When the
wounded began TO be sent home TO Hiro-
shirna she was n frequent visitor at the
hospitals. and evinced n keen interest In
the work which was there performed.
She took "A similar interest In the welfare
OF the army and navy in the greater war
with Russia.
Inc last HilcSo an" ue"'" VI 80
band affected her profoundly. She was
devoted nurse AT lis bedside. After the
funeral her strength failed and she was
completely Frustrated with an anection
of the heart which only the utmost skill
of the court physicians prevented from
proving Immediately fatal. From that at
tack she rallied in part. but never fuliy
regained her former health. Last year
she went to an imperial villa at Namazl.
n health resort near Yokohama, ana there
spent the remainder of her life she hao
four daughters. who survive her. the
Processes Masa 10. Fusa 10. Nobu no
and Toshi 10. Her only son IL the pres
cnt Emperor. Yoshhito.
"The Eco That Found Itse1' py ..