THE DYING MIKADO.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12826, 27 July 1912, Page 5

THE DYING MIKADO.

(Press Assn.— By Telegraph.— Copyright.) TOKiO, July 26. The Mikado has suffered a complete relapse. The absence of an evening bulletin is considered ominous.

Mutsui Hito, the Mikado of Japan, is an interesting personality. He bears the title of "Tenno" m Japan, but the appellation by which he is called, m relation to external affairs is "Kotei," a word of Chinese origin. Only foreigners' make use of the political title "Mikado." He was born on the 3rd of November, 1852, succeeding his father, Osahito, the former Emperor, m January, 1867, and was" crowned at Osaka on the 31st of .October, 1868. The Emperor's reign, has been marked by great reforms, and. the feudal system, which had impeded the general progress of the country, was abolished m 1871. Under his rule Japan has entered upon, an unprecedented era of prosperity. Civilisation has made rapid progress, and the introduction of foreign arts and ideals has secured for Japan a foremost place, amongst the" ; Asiatio nations. Mutsui Hito has given the Japanese a Parliamentary Constitution, based on European principles. His directions of the operations m the war with China was marked m December, 1898, by the Diet by a vote of £200,000 from ,the war indemnity paid by China. H. B. Montgomery, in' his book, "The' Empire of the East," writes of .him. thus : "The Emperor is no State puppet, there is no abler man amongst the sovereigns of the world. He is no monarch content to reign but not to govern, concerned simply about ceremonial and the fripperies of royalty. He has always shown the deepest respect for the constitution ever since its promulgation, and never m the slightest degree attempted to infringe or override any portion, of it. At the same time he is an effective force m the government ■'• of Japan. There is nothing too great oi*i too little, m the Empire or m. the rela- 1 tions of the Empire with foreign powers for his ken. He exercises over every department -of the Government^ and detail of it, a minute and rigid supervision." '