Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-17
IN QUAINT C0REA.
A KING WHO Is ALLOWED NARROW
LIBERTY IN GOVERNING.


Its People-The Ono Great Injustice
Practieed.
In the first place Corea is limited mon
archy. There is written constitution.
which is not, perhaps, absolutely binding
OF the king, but which is seldom deviated
from This is fact which is not gener-
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 are 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 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 untranmeled in
the execution of any design whatsoever.
Both of these statements strike wide of
the truth, although on opposite sides OF
it. 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 noblenlen 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
tions, as distinguished from enlightened
nations. If a system of government
reaching even to the minutest details,
complicated social system, knowledge
of arts and industries, 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.
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 ono
case Then we will read something aoout
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 filing 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
con 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 1t does not
cause any surprise that such food is mads
use Of Dog flesh is absolutely unknown
in Corean feasts. A foreigner could sit
down to the Corean table and eat OF
almost eveey 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 so than
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 hava been pictured. Their seclu-
sion is in seine senses blessing to them.
Their lack Fl seclusion In Japan has led to
the most :amoralizing results in that
country. It is impossible that women
should b regarded with the same
chivalric spirit here that they are In the
enlightened countries, and their seclusion
is painfal necessity rather than an evil
dence Of tyranny, And yet, as l have
said, wo1aen are not nearly SO secluded
here as tley are in Turkey. It Is only
zomen Vt the highest classes that are
allowed % be seen by any man excepting
the husband and father in Law. Thou
sands O! women can be seen on the streets
of Scout 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
sort ST apron thrown over the head and
held IN front of the mouth. leaving
space through which they can see and be
seen Women of the lower class, tho
comf,on working class, 50 entirely un-
veileS.
The Coreans ars singulariy mild and
inokensive people. Their language con-
tairs no stronger epsthet Of hatred or
anger than "Meechin.non which Keans
crazy fellow. One can 60 to auy part OF
the city or country at any time without
the least fear Of nolestation. and you
never hear Of knock down fight or .
murder The criminal class - extremely
small. and vss7ancy and nendicancy are
oil 70
have been brought up against these
people. and they do not bear the hight OF
Investigation. But no one seems to have
mentioned the one great social evil OF
Corea, and one which must surely be
changed before CoreA can fairly begin any
such progress as Japan hes made.
This evil has to do with the recognized
rule Of ell enlightened nations that the
individual must 10 secure u the lawful
possession of his own property and be
must be allowed to accumulate property.
In Corea the strong prey uPoa the weak.
For instance, when nan Is made an Of
fetal, which is the highest ambition OF
the Corean, q certain extent OF territory
is allotted to him. From that territory
he is required 10 send g certain number OF
bags of rice to the granary of the central
government. and for himself he has al
the rest that he can squeeze out Of tho
population. Ills power is unlimited In his
own district. and be can seize any ones
property and appropriate it. If he b
Inscriptions he uses this power to IN
extent that is monstrous in its injustice
He hears of . man who has saved Q
score of bags Of riee over and above what
his family needs for the season Soon
his u,inions come down on the mans law