Assisted by capable advisers of the state, the Emperor has always grant ed the rights and privileges to the people as soon as they are ready for them, The abrogation of feudalism was the signal for the raising of the commoners into the rank of Samurai fof vice-versa before the people even began to ask for the obliteration of class distinction. The Constitution was granted long before the agitators swayed the masses.
What, shall we say, was it, that brought about the complete unity of Japan with the Meiji restoration of the Imperial Power? Tt is the rally~ ing around this historical symbol and national embodiment of a common race and tradition, a common Feverence and affection and common hopes and aspirations in the face of the strangers from the West. Tt was that nationalism born of conscious ness of centuries of Isolation and seclusion that cemented the whole ration into one ethnic homogeneity that nationalism that meant the sacrifice of individual selves, if need be, for the sake of greater self and a large and more perfect unity—that of the ation; that proud nationalism, which, however, was never too proud to learn from others that that nation might attain the place of equality with other nations; that confident na. tionalism which was accompanied by courage and tolerance, which in turn never failed to understand or sympathize with the similar claims by other like units of society, It was that patriotism, in the last analysis, which stood for no anti foreign demagogy of sentiment, though there were a few anxious moments, but for pro-Japanese pur poses and programmes:
"One for all and all for one, Under the banner of the Wising Sun" demonstrating increasing tendencies fand possibilities of as a cOoperative unit in building higher institutions, a happier humanity, point ing toward the third stage of human advance, that of the liberal-ethical
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.