The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-08-31
WREA.
Wrong Ideas Prevalent Concerning
Its People.
Practical Power OF the Eing-A Liberal
and Progressive Ruler-Woman's Po-
sition Robbed 10 support
the Government.

Every newly-opened country Is
doomed To be nisrepresented more or
less at first because OF the lack of def
mite Information and the consequent en-
larging of the few facts that are known.
for many statements that have been
published at home abeut this country
can be charitably explained only on
the hypothesis that truth is elastic,
desire TO give through your columns a
few facts in regard To some of the more
important points about which misun-
derstanding exists. In the first place,
COrea Is a limited monarcy. There is
written constitution. which is not,
perhaps. absolutely binding on the
King. but which is seldom deviated
from
This is a fact which is not generally
known, even by many of the foreigners
resident in this city, but have il on
the best of evidence Corean mon
archy can not be said to be limited in
the sense that the people are represent
ed in any Council or Parliament, but
there are rules laid down which even
His Majesty will not overstep. except
tuG liuttt Hib1A Dltt0ttdt GtttBttlStdfitt1-s
And 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
oheys his councillors. Others say that
he is perfectly untrammeled in the
execution OF any design whatsoever.
Both of these statements strike wide of
of the truth, although on opposite sides
of it. To be sure, the King of Corea,
according TO the sacred and unwritteu
law of this and all the kindred nations.
is considered in one sense a sacred per-
sonage, and can not be exposed
to the gaze OF the populac
except on certain state occasions,
but this seclusion is vol
untary Almost every night the noble
men congregate at the palace, and the
King holds his court practically the
same as any Western sovereign. He
has to depend largely upon the repre-
sentations of these noblemen in making
his plans and in delivering his orders,
but it must be quite evident that when
the noblemen present comprise the
leading members of two strong polite
al parties misrepresentation to His
Majesty from one side would doubtless
be corrected from the other, and so it
is the opinion of those who ought TO
know that the King is not so ILL
informed as some have pictured him.
His Majesty, in spite of the disad-
vantages under which he labors, is the
most liberal and progressive man in
the empire, and it is due solely to his
wisdom and perseverance that the
legation was sent to the United States,
for it is an acknowledged fact that
majority of the leading men here are
strongly anti-foreign and conservative
in their policy. So far, then, from
being either a prisoner or a despot,
the King of Corea is neither one nor
the other. In regard to the independ-
ence of Corea nothing need be said.
| Her relations with the United States,
| Russia, Germany, Great Britain,
France and Japan have put that above
suspicion, and hereafter China will
doubtless accept the situation. But it
| is in regard to social questions that the
! greatest misunderstanding exists.
| Coreans are not barbarians or savages;
| they are not nomads, but they belong
to the great family of civilized nations
as distinguished from enlightened ma
! tions.
/ If a system of government reaching
even to the minutest details, COM
4 plicated social system, a knowledge of
/ arts and industries, a religious and
! educational system, literature, and the
concomitants of these imply eiviliza-
/ ton, then surely Corea is civilized.
! Her civilization dates back to time
/ when Japan was covered with savage
/ tribes. u
! 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
4 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 dispensing 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 feat
ures about the social condition of these
people without filling the minds of
! outsiders with imaginary ones. Much
has been said about the natives being
4 great eaters of dogs flesh. After a
| personal observation of the habits of
| the people for two years ! can truly
say that it Is only the lower classes
that indulge in that luxury. By the
middle and upper classes it is consid-
cred as detestable as by Am ericans.
However, when one goes through some
of the poorer parts of the city and sees
people absolutely starving to death 1t
does not cause any surprise that such
food is made use of. Dog flesh is ab-
soIutelY unknown in Corean feasts. IA