River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-08-02

Turkey, for instance, shows us a vastly
more pitiable state of things in this re-
spect than Corea. Women are not
slaves here, as they have been pictured.
Their seclusiOn is in some sense a
blessing to them. Their lack of seclu-
sion in Japan has led to the most
demon alizing results in that country.
IL is impossible that women should
be regarded with the same chivalric
spirit here that they are in the en-
lightened countries, and their seclu-
sion is a painful necessity rather than
an evidence of tyranny. And yet, as l
have said, women are not nearly so
secluded here as they are in Turkey.
Ii is only women of the highest classes
that are allowed TO be seen by any man
excepting her husband and father-in-
law. Thousands of women can be seen
on the streets of Seoul in broad day at
any time In walking on any street
here a good proportion of the people
you meet are women. Many belonging
To the middle class have a sort of apron
thrown over the head and held in front
Of the mouth, leaving a space through
which they can see and be seen.
Women OF the lower class, tho COM
mon working class. go entirely I'M
vailed.
One can not but be struck by the evil
dences of happy family life on every
side. As the sun is setting and the
evening meal is being prepared the
father sits out in front of his house
smoking his pipe and holding his little
son or daughter on his lap while ne
tells stories and quaint legends. The
evident affection and confidence be-
tween parent and child are beautiful to
see, and one feels that these ignorant
people would not exchange their hum
BILE cottage and their quiet life for a
mansion on Fifth avenue in New York.
The Coreans arc singularly mild and
inOffensive people. Their language
contains no stronger epithet of hatred
or anger than .'Meechin-nom," which
means crazy fellow. One can go to
any part of the city or country at any
time without the least fear of mOlesta-
ton. and you never hear OF knock
down fight or a murder. The criminal
class is extremely small, and vagrancy
and mendicancy are almost unknown.
Now all these points have been brought
up against these people, and they do
not bear the light of investigation,
But no one seems 10 have mentioned
the one great social evil of Corea, and
one which must surely be changed be-
fore Corea can fairly begin any such
progress as Japan has made.
This evil has to do with the recog-
nized rule of all enlightened nations
that the individual must be secure in
the lawful possession of his own prop
erty. and ne must be allowed to accu-
mulate property. In COrea the strong
prey upon the weak. For instance,
when a man is made an official, which
is the highest ambition of the COrean.
a certain extent of territory is
allotted to him. From that terri
tory he is required to send certain
number of bags of rice TO the granary
of the central government. and for him
self he has all the rest that he can
squeeze out of the population. His
power is unlimi ed in his own district.
and he can seize any ones property
and appropriate it. II he be unscrupu-
lous he uses this power to an extent
that is monstrOus in its injustice.
He hears of man who has saved "A
score of bags of rice over and above
what his family needs for the season.
Soon his minions come down on the
mans lawful savings and sweep the
whole away, leaving simply enough
for the man TO struggle through the
year with.
Can any thing be more deadening to
enterprise and thrift than this? Who
can blanc them for saying: I'VE will
raise just enough rice to live on and
no more; for why should we accumu-
late property to be swept away?"
When was about to discharge one of
my servants he came to me and said
that he had saved some fifty dollars
while in my service. and that when he
went away from my place the servants
of the local magistrates would take
every dollar of it away from him, and
he was willing to stay nOminally in my
employ without wages rather than go.
1t was only by securing him employ
ment with another foreigner that /
saved him from being deprived of his
earnings.
OF course such system is deadly
enemy to all progress and to all
healthy national life. 1t strikes at
the root of national prosperity, the
security of the individual. But I be-
lieve that it is exceptional to find
magistrate who taxes the people ex-
tremely. OF course there is always
more or less injustice, but the patience
of the people is something marvellous,
and when the exactions become too
frequent and too severe the people rise
and mutiny. and usually with success,
for il brings about the removal of the
Objectionable ruler. A brighter day is
in store for COrea when her mineral
resources are opened up and her finan-
cial basis is strengthened. Then there
will be a system of regularly salaried
officials. No one can examine into the
position of Corea to-day without seeing
that her horizon is clearing, and it is
to the United States that Corea looks
to-day as her best friend.-SeOuL Co
Hall