, 1888-07-17
IN QUAINT C0REA.
A KING WHO Is ALLOWED NARROW
LIBERTY IN GOVERNING.

frhcticed.
In the first place Corea Is a limited mon
archy. There is a written constitution,
which is not, perhaps, absolutely binding
on the king, but which is seldom deyiated
from. This is a fact which is not gener-
ally known, even by many of the foreign
ers resident in this city, but 1 have 1t on
cannot be said to be limited in the sense
that the people are represented in any
counci or parliament, but there are rules
laid down which sven his majesty will
not overstep, excepting under most I'M
usual circumstances. And a word right
here in regard to the practical power of
the king. Some have said that he has no
power at all, but is imprisoned in his
palace and obeys his councillors. Others
say that he is perfectly untrammeled In
the execution of any design whatsoever.
Both of these statements strike wide of
the truth, although on opposite sides of
1t. To be sure, the king of Corea, ac-
cording to the sacred and unwritten law
of this and all the kindred nations, is con-
sidered In one sense a sacred parsonage,
and cannot be exposed to the gaze of the
populace except on certain state occasions,
but his seclusion Is voluntary. Almost
every night the noblemen congregate at
the palace, and the king holds his court
practically the same as any western
sovereign.
But It is In regard to social questions
that the greatest Misunderstanding ex-
lists. Coreans are not barbarians or sava-
ges, they are not nomads, but they be-
long to the great family of civilized ma
lions, as distinguished from enlightened
nations. If a system of government
reaching even to the minutest details, a
complicated social system; a knowledge
of arts and Industries, a religious and
educational system, a literature N the
concomitants of these imply civilization,
then surely Corea is civilized. Her civil
ization dates back to a time when Japan
was covered with savage tribes.
1t is amusing to us out here in Corea to
watch the papers and read what is said
about this little country. Some one said
that suicide was extremely common, when,
in fact, it is almost unknown. Even the
physician in charge of the royal hospital
during three years has only heard of one
case. Then we will read something about
the second story windows being all closed
when the king goes by, when, In fact,
there are not half a dozen two story
houses in Corea; or about the king dis
pensing justice as he travels through the
country, while, in fact, he never yet has
gone ten miles outside the gates Of Seoul.
There are plenty of unpleasant features
about the social condition of these people
without filing the minds of outsiders
with imaginary ones. Much has been said
about the natives being great eaters of
dogs flesh. After a personal observation
of the habits of the people for two years l
can truly say that it is only the lower
classes that indulgein that luxury. By
the middle and upper classes 1t Is consid-
cred as detestable assby Americans. How
ever, when one goes through some of the
poorer parts of the city and sees people
absolutely starving-to death it does not
cause any surprise that such food Is made
use of. Dog flesh is absolutely unknown
in Corean feasts. A foreigner could sit
down to the Corean table and eat OF
almost every dish that is brought him
without fear of dog meat.
In regard to the position and social
status Of woman the most various ideas
prevail. 1t is true that the women Of
Corea are secluded, but not more 80 han
In some more favored empires. Turkey,
for instance, shows us a vastly moro
pitiable state of things in this respect
than Corea. Women are not slaves here,
as they have been pictured. Their seclu-
sion Is in some senses a blessing to them.
Their lack of seclusionin Japan has led to
the most demoralizing results in b q
country. 1t is impossible that women
should be regarded with the same
chivalric spirit here that they are in the
enlightened countries, and their seclusion
Is a painful necessity rather than an evil
dence of tyranny. And yet, as l nave
said, women are not nearly so secluded
here as they are In Turkey. 1t is only
women of the highest classes hat are
allowed to be seen by any man excepting
the husband and father.ih In law. Thou
sands of women can be seen on the streets
of Seoul In broad day at any time. In
walking on any street here q good proper
tion Of the people o meet are women.
Many belonging to the middle class havo
o 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, the
common working class, go entirely I'M
yelled.
The Coreans are a singularly mild and
inoffensive people. Their language con-
tains 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 molestation, and you
never hear of a 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 to have
mentioned the n great social evil of
Corea, and n which must surely be
changed before Corea can fairly begin any
such progress as Japan has made.
This evil has to do with the recognized
rule of all enlightened nations that the
individual must be secure In the lawful
possession of his own property and he
must be allowed to accumulate property.
In Corea the strong prey upon the weak.
For instance, when a man Is made an Of
fetal, which is the highest ambition of
the Corean, a certain extent of territory
Is allotted to him. From that territory
he is required to send a certain number Of
bags of rice to the granary of the central
government, and for himself he has all
the rest that he can squeeze out of the
population. His power Is unlimited in his
own district, and he can seize any one's
property and appropriate it. If he be
INSCRIPTIONS he uses this power to an
extent that is monstrous in its injustice.
He hears of a man who has saved q
score of bags of rice over and above what
his family needs for the season Soon
his minions come down on the mans law
full savings and sweep the whole away,
leaving simply enough for the man to
struggle through the year with. Can
or-S1l-- L. $500