The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-08-24

/ ''l' hihSt ouu tONtOll, anu WGIc III
not for a provision in the Constitution
they could raise potatoes, but it seems
that ab'u the time the wise men
built the grand structure of laws under
which this nation has remained qui-
escent tor about 5000 years the
potatoes acted badly they failed in
some manner to meet the views of the
ruling classes, and SO they were boy
cotted. 1t was solemnly announced
that the devil had hand in their
misconduct, and the unavoidable de-
ductlon was that anyone who en-
couraged them by raising or eating
them was in sympathy with the devil,
and therefore should be promptly
put out of the way. Ii is impossible
to say that this happened 5000 years
ago, but 1t did happen at some time,
and at this day not potato is raised
in the whole peninsula.
The cattle, ponies, dogs, pigs, sheep
and goats are very many every native
is the possessor of some Of these
creatures, but what the practical pur-
pose Of possession is never was able
to see. The cattle and pigs are to be
eaten by the ruling classes only; and
there are string of frantic laws on
this prohibition that makes every sub
ject of the Crown liable to some awful
penalty, boiling in oil or lead or some
thing of that sort, if he or she trans
crosses the restrictions and enjoys a
round of beef or flip of bacon. The
sheep and goats are killed only as
sacrifices on stone altars, and with an
accompaniment of sad music-their
conception of sadness-which sounds
to the American ear much as does
the dinner gong of a Coney Island
hotel, After the sheep or goat has
bled to death, in honor of some god
or other, the carcass is disdainfully
thrust aside by the priests until the
crowds have melted away, when it is
carefully conveyed to where it will do
the most good. and the holy men live
+ on lamb and perhaps mint sauce for
week or more.
The Government is remarkable,
among other things, for having gone
one step further in its regulation OF
internal affairs than any other Gov
eminent ever saw the wisdom Of do
4, ing. The country is especially rich
in minerals, there being almost in
exhaustible veins of gold, silver, cop.
, per and coal. The Government
: recognizes this happy condition, for
bidding all descriptions of INNINGS,
, and with the exception Of one small
:, copper mine worked for the purpose
: of providing a portion of the mineral
: necessary for their coinage, the bal
; ance being purchased from China,
= none of these deposits are disturbed
= All the gold and silver used by them
is imported from Japan ard China
!, no coal is used, and as the supply o.
4 wood is not great, that also is import
; ed. The widest flights of my fanc,
;, were never able to reach even the
probable cause of this unwillingnes:
. to open up the wealth of the nation
c and the inquiries | put to the native:
g who could understand me were In
a variable met with frighted look ant
= the general appearance of horror a
3 such an encroachment or questioning
. on a subject too sacred for contem
u plation. The idea of attempting tc
- comprehend the mysterious ways o
- their King and all the great people
\ who sit around him at Seoul neve
y enters the simple minds of the popu
= lace. They regard the mandates O
- their rulers with the same reverence
>, ano unquestioning observance tina
y the most devout follower of Confuciu
h h shows toward the prophet.
Is The King of Corea bears the sam
,e relation to the Emperor of Chin
,r that the Khedive of Egypt does t
IN the Sultan of Turkey he is the va:
3 sal of the Chinese ruler, and this fac
d much to his disgust, is set forth i
If every public document that is promu
,e gated, and is proclaimed to the worl
o far and wide with the lack of modest
~ and consideration for which tn
n Chinese nation is noted.
id Notwithstanding the encroachmer
Or upon the dignity of this high oficia
ny he is surrounded by an exhaustles
to ceremony that accounts for the e'
,y travagant estimation in which he
.ir held. He is very holy, so holy, l
fact, that when people speak OF hir
ID they simply say him, and when the
n want to be very subservient they sa
70 it, but they never say Ii Hsl, tn
n, name under which this gentlema
f. suffers. This name is apparently onl
". given to him to use in public doc'
is ments, for no one ever has the teme
ne ity to use it in addressing him, and
a is never mentioned aloud anywhere
ID this Kindom. If any subject wisht
.. to practice on it he goes under groun