Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-07-27
IN QUAINT COREA.
A KING WHO IS ALLOWED NARROW
LIBERTY IN GOVERNING.

Practiced.
In the first place Corea is limited mon.
archy. There is . written constitution.
which Is not, perhaps, absolutely binding
on the king. but which is seldom deyiated
from. This is fact which is not pener-
ally known, even by many of the foreign.
ers resident in this city, but have It on
the best of evidence. Corean monarchy
cannot be said to be limited In the sense
that the people IRE represented in any
council or parliament, but there are rules
laid down which even his majesty will
not overstep, excepting under most un-
usual circumstances. And q word right
here In regard to the practical power Of
the king. Some have said that he has T.,
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-
stdered 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 helds his court
practically the same as any western
sovereign.
But 1t 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.
tions, as distinguished from enlightened
nations. II system of government
reaching even to the minutest details, Q
complicated social system, knowledge
of arts and industries, q religious and
educational system, literature and the
concomitants of these imply civilization,
then surely Corea Is civilized. Her civil
ization dates back to time when Japan
was covered with savage tribes.
II Is amusing to us out here in Corea to
watch the papers and read what Is said
seout 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 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 filling the minds of outsiders
with imaginary ones. Much has been said
about the natives being great eaters of
dogs flesh. After 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 1t is consid-
cred as detestable as by 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 est 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. II is true that the women of
Corea are secluded. but not more SO than
In some more favored empires. Turkey,
for instance, shows us vastly more
pitiable state of things in this respect
than Corea. Women are not slaves here,
as they have been pictured. Their scclu-
sion is III some senses blessing to them.
Their lack cf seclusion in Japan has led to
the most demoralizing results in that
1t is impossible that women
should be regarded with the same
chivalric spirit here that they are in the
countries, and their seclrsion
is painful necessity rather than an evi-
dence of tyranny. And yet, as have
said, women are not nearly so secluded
here as they are in Turkey. 1t is only
women of the highest classes that are
allowed to be seen by any man excepting
the husband and father 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
ton of the people you meet are women.
Many belonging to the middle class have
3 sort of apron thrown over the head and
held in front of the mouth, leaving q
space through which they can see and be |
seen. Women of the lower class, the |
common working class, 60 entirely un-
yelled
The Coreans are singularly mild and |
noIensive people. Their language con-
.ains no stronger epithet of hatred or |
anger than "Mecchin-nom, which means |
ray fellow. One can go to any part of |
he city or country at any time without |
.he least fer of nolestation, and you |
aever hecr of g knock down fight or q |
nnn!cr. The criminal class is extremely |
smail. end vagrancy and inendicancy are |
llEicSt unknown. Now Ill these points |
lavc been brought up against these |
,eop.e, Sad they 40 not bear the Light of |
But no cne seems to have |
the one great social evil of |
Coces, and one which must surely be |
,hsnsed before Corea can fairly begin any
'uch progress Is japan las made.
This evil has to do with the recognized |
'ule of Ill enlightened nations that the |
Individual must be secure in the lawful /
possession of his own property and he
must he allowed TO accuLlulcte property. |
n Corea the strong prey upcn the weak.
FOR instance, when = Len Is made On Of
cial, which is the highest ambition of
he Corean, certain extent OF territory
5 allotted to him. From that territory
Ie is required to send o certain number Of
'ags of rice TO the granary Of the central
I'D for himself he has ell
he rest that nc can scucczc out Of the
population. his gNycr is unlimited in his
wn district, emo he car seize any ones
property and appropriate it. II he be
he uses this power to On
xtent that is mopstrous in its injustice.
He hears of man who has sSyed
core of bags of rice over and Sboyc what
is family needs for the season Soon
is minions come down on the mans lEw-
ul savings and sweep the whole Gway.
saving simply enough for the mEn to
truggle through the year with. Can
nything be more deadening to enterprise
nd thrift than this? Who can blame
hem sG- lying: I'VE will raise just
nough rice 10 live on and 10 more; for
Thy should We accumulate property to be
wept away%'-Seoul lCoreG) Cor. New
-o,l, INnrll |