Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-10
YosHlHlTo coNsEcRArEp EN-.
PERoR OF JAPAN At ANCIENT
CAPITAL OF kioTo.
NO CLERGYMAN OR PRIEST
OBLIGATED At CEREMONY
New Sovereign Neither Subscribed to
oaths Nor Took Hereditary Crown
Japs in All Parts Of Empire Csls-
brate Event in Some Mannsr-Ds-
parture From Ancient customs-First
Public Ceremony Held in $500 Years.

Toxic, Nov. 10.-Yoshihito was con-
firmed or cOnsecrated emperor Of Ja-
pan Kioto, the ancient capital to-
day. nd in every city, town and VIZ
lage turnout the empire, wheresoever.
indeed. Japanese was to be found.
the event was celebrated In some ut
ting manner. The Japanese call the
conservation go tairei,' or the great
ceremony. Implying the greatest Of all
national ceremonies. When they are
speaking English they refer to 1t as
the coronation.
The new sovereign neither sub
scribed to oaths nor took hereditary
crown upon his head. No clergyman.
priest or archbishop officiated as the
intermediary between heaven and
earth.
Here the emperor himself Is supreme.
Here the coronation takes the form Of
announcing to the spirits of the inn
perial ancestors that he has formally
succeeded to the emperorship, that he
has come into possession of the three
divine treasures, and that he has ac-
tually assembled the "Takamikura" or
imperial throne, and from the throne
he announces to his subjects that he
has been consecrated as emperor.
There Is no break in the sovereignty
over the Japanese empire. When the
Emperor Mutsuhito passed away his
son, Yoshihito-on July 80, 1913-im-
mediately acceded to the throne and
duly acquired the sacred treasures.
simultaneously the new ruler, who
was today consecrated, received his
ministers of state and members of the
court and proclaimed his reign as that
Of 'Taisho" or EZRA of great righteous
ness" Mourning for the Empress
Dowager Haruko caused a postpone
ment Of the coronation ceremonies, and
today, they were conducted without
the presence Of the Empress Sadako,
consort Of the emperor, who is soon
expecting to present another heir to
the throne.
Depart From Customs.
1T occurs to me- said Premier
Count Okuma few weeks ago to the
correspondent Of the Associated Press,
that these ancient ceremonies at
Kioto will afford foreigners an oppor-
tunity to study the psychology OF the
Japaneseipeople." That after all. from
making the coronation SO wonderfully
attractive. The foreign observer is car
ried back into the ages, and he is hav-
ing set before him story Of national
existence, an explanation Of an en-
pire's genesis that is beautiful, drama
tic and appealing, whether he Is to
class the tale as NEUROLOGICAL, tradi-
tional or historically proven.
He is able to study the origin, Gus
toms and development Of the Japanese
as never before In history, for this Is
the first time since the reign Of Jimmu
Tenno, $500 yeans ago, that the peo-
.5,e Of Japan or Representatives Of for
c.sn powers have been permitted to
participate in the ceremonies of cor
onation. Before this. only the court
and feudal lords and samurai were
there. This coronation, therefore, is
the bridge between the old and the
new Japan-it is the official exodus
for the impenetrable feudality Of the
past to the modernism and. commence
ment OF democracy Of the present and
future. The first great step in the
modern political development Of Japan
was taken by Emperor Mutsuhito in
1889 when he granted constitution
to his subjects.
Every possible arrangement has been
made to impress upon the minds of the
young the Significance Of the cere-
monies. The part played by the school
children Of Japan is one Of the most
Impressive features Of the entire COR
onatfon program, which will last about
month. Special portraits Of the en-
peror and empress were distributed and
commemorative exercises were held in
every school thruout the empire:
speeches were made relating the inn
portance Of the coronation; at every
school two trees were planted in COM
memoratiOn Of the occasion and a flag
procession Of children was held in ev-
cry district. At the precise moment
when the emperor mounted the throne
to announce his accession to the peo-
pie salutes are fired by the army and
navy-and in whatever part OF the
world soldiers and ships may be To-
Gated. Turnout the country cannon
doomed, whistles were blown, flags
were flung to the breeze, aerial bombs
fired, the national hymn sung and
cries of "banzai" swelled upward.
AsIieion Occupies Prominent Place.
Religion occupied a prominent place.
American missionaries were leaders in
the movement to hold christian ser-
vices and in every christian church
thruout the empire, native or foreign,
prayers were said today for long and
happy reign OF Emperor Yoshihito. The
International Bible Society of America
IL presenting a beautiful bible to the
emperor in commemoration Of his en-
thronement. The cover Is Of white
leather with an artistic design In red.
Inside the covers are entwined the
hags Of Japan and the United States
to convey the idea that the friendship
between the two nations is will-bound
with the word Of God. Services were
held also in every Shinto and Buddhist
temple. The Salvation Army observed