Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-22
CUSTOMS IN COREA.
Queer stories which are Eatherod
There.
RAPPY DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIPS OF WOMEN
HOW RICE Is MADE A LEGAL TENDER

seoul
Corea says OF its social conditions: 1T is amusing
to US out here In Corea to watch the papers AID
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 win.
dows 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 dispensing Jus
tice as he travels through the country, while, In
TACT, he never yet has gone 10 miles outside the
gates OF Seoul.
There are plenty OF unpleasant features about
the social condition OF these people without Milling
the MINDS or 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 1t 1, only the lower classes that inuulye In
that luxury. By the middle and upper classes 1t Is
considered as detestabe as by Americans. How
ever, when one goes through some or the poorer
parts OF The city and sees people absolutely starv
ing 10 death, 1t does not cause any surprise that
such food Is made use Of Dog q So is absolutely
down TO the Corean table and eat OF almost every
dish that Is brought MIN without fear OF dog meat
Rice Is legal tender In Corea Almost ali salaries
aud payment, are estimated In bags or nee. Be-
sides this there Is beer and rsn ami poultry.
kraut which goes by The name OF "kimchI," and
Whine 1t Is rather offensive 10 ordinary oliactores
/! Is not more 50 than the famous German dish.
Tue Coreans eat their fOod highly Seasoned WIN
red pepper, and the brightest SPOTS In a Corean
landscape are the roofs OF houses covered with
red peppers, which put there 10 dry In the SUM-
woman The most various ideas prevail. 1t Is true
tn tue women OF Corea are secluded, but not
key, for instance. shows Us vastly more pitiable
state OF things In this respect than COrea. Women
are not slaves here, Is they have been pictured.
Their SeciuSlon Is IN some senses u blessing 70
them. Their Lack OF seclusi0n In Japan has led to
the most demorallzing results In that 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 pain.
fui necessity rather than an evidence OF tyranny.
secluded here as they are in Turkey. It is only
women OF the highest Glasses that are allowed to
De seen by any man excepting the husband and
on the streets OF Seoul In broad day at any time
In walking on any street here good proportion OF
the people you meet are women Many belonging
10 the middle class have a sort OF apron thrown
over the head and held In front OF tue mouth,
leaving space through which they can see and
working class go entirely unveiled.
one cannot put be struck by the evidences Of
happy family life on cry side. As the sun is set
ting and The evening meal Is being prepared the
father slLs out In front OF his house smoking his
pipe and holding us little son or caught on his
lap while he tells stories and quaint legends. The
and child are beautiful TO see, and feels that
these ignorant people would not exchange their
nuIuOlt COtIdke AMI their Quiet lie a mansion
On 5.h avenue In New York.
The Coreans are singularly mild and inofYen-
S1ve people. Their Language contains no stronger
epilhet OF hatred or anger than "Meechin-n0in, +"
which means crazy fellow. One can gO to any
par. Of Tue city OF country at any time withou.
the least fear OF molestatiOn, and you never hear
OF a 1noek,down nght or murder. The criminal
cancy are almost unknown. Now all these points
have been brought ny against these people, and
they do not bear the ligHL OF investitalion. Hui
he
social evil OF Corea, and one which must surely be
changed before COrea can fairly begin any such
THIS evil has to do with the recognized rule of
all enlightened nations tnat the Individual must
be secure In tue lawful possession OF his p OPP
erty, and he must be allowed 70 accumulate prop
erty. In COrea the strong prey upon The weak
For instance, when man Is made an Oniciai, which
OF Is o o. 70
territory he Is required 10 send a certain number
OF bags OF rice to the ranary or the central govern
Can squeeze out OF the population. His power Is
unllmlLed In his own district, and he seize any
ones PROPERTY and appropriate II. II be be un-
Ia monstrOus In Its injustice.
He hears OF man VINO has saved q score OF bags
Of rice over and above what his family needs for
the season, Soon his mtn1onS come down on the
mans lawful savings aud sweep the whole away,
leaving simply enough tor the man TO struggle
Can any thing be more deadening to enterprise
and thrift tnan thisf Who can blame them for
saying: 1--WE WILL raise just enough rice to live on
and no more; tor why should We accumulate prop.
erty to be swept awayi" When WAS about TO dis
charge one OF my servants he came to me and said
that he had saved some $50 while In my service,
and that when he went away from my place the
servants OF the local magistrate would take every
dollar OF It away from him, and he WIS willing to
than 60. II was only by securing him employ
ment with another foreigner that ] saved him
from being deprived Of his earnings
OF course such u system Is deadly enemy to all
progress and 70 all healthy national life. IL strikes
at the root OF national prosperity, the security OF
the individual. But believe that II Is exceptional
70 md q magistrate who taxes the people ex-
tremely. OF course there Is always more or less
injustice, but the patience Of the people u SOME
thlng marvellous and when the exacti0ns become
too frequent and too severe the people rise
and mutiny, and usually with success. for It
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
financial basis 10 strengthened Then there will
be system OF regularly salaried oniciala No one
can examine INTO the position OF COrea to-day
without seeing that her horizon "a clealinR and t