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MB. EAI TALKS POLITICS. 87
arisen in my life-time, though it yet may. Of course,
our obedience is to the Mikado as the Son of Heaven
first. He is our supreme lord, but the general gives
us orders and we obey them, without questioning.
Still, as the country has been so long at peace and
this double system has worked so well, no one has
asked these questions which you want answered,
though very wise men are now pondering the problem.
Yet you may live to see the puzzle made
plain. That is
why I named our new boy baby
Asahi, for he will have daylight on this matter.
Already active-minded men and students of history
are finding fault and criticizing this state of affairs."
"Is not the general at Yedo a tai-kun, or great
"
prince, like a son of the Mikado ?
" Well, yes, and no. His proper title is the term
of Chinese origin, sho-gun, or army-commander,
which is
only the revival in another form of the
ancient title of the Mikado which was o-gimiy but,
when orders are given to the Coreans, Ainos, or
the outside barbarians, he is then Tycoon, or great
prince."
" If the Americans come to our country to trade,
will he treat them as barbarians and write himself
Tycoon ? "
" I think he probably will, my son, and that will
make trouble and may even bring on civil war."
" Why must our country have two cities like capitals,
and two rulers both so ?
powerful China has
only one capital and one ruler."
" Well, Japan has never had foreigners living per-