Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-08-11

who held such positions as Kim ok
Kun held IN Cofca, and % was from
them that Kim got his idea Of rcyolu.
tionizing his own country.
Corca, like Japan, was for years shut
out from the rest Of the world. For
eignes dared not land upon It's shores.
No one knew anything about the land.
in fact until twelve years ago, when
cur own Admiral Shuicldt made the
first treaty and opened the country TO
the civilized world. Commodore Perry,
you know, opened Japan. aud the tact
that America was the first to open Cotca
and that II has always been friendly TO
the country is one Of the reasons why
the king would like to have the United
States step In and help him IN his pres
ent trouble. Before Corca had been
opened, however, Rim OK Kun had
told the king OF the wonderful changes
that were going on In Japan. lie had
fled there secretly In order TO study is
civilization, and, IN connection with an
other Corcan named So kwang Pom,
had spent some years In the country.
They came back with the idea Of Undue
ing the king to adopt the new ciyiliza-
ton. Al this time, however, the kings
father was practically the ruler Of Corea.
lie Is bad man, and he hates Christ.
ianity and western methods. lie killed
OF native Christians, and he
charged Kim With trying to induce
Christianity into Cofca. The result was
that Kim came near losing his head and
he had to flee. The kings father, In
d.
this the Chinese troops were called by
him into Corea nominally to protect the
kingdom lie had all along favored
China, and during this rebellion he tried
to have the queen killed. lie failed IN
this, and It was through her family and
friends that the revolution did not sue.
coed and the king was made the real
ruler Of the people. The kings father
was banished, lie has since returned
TO Corca, and saw him riding In slate
the other day through the main street
OF Seoul.
Alter the rebellion was over Kim OK
Kun and So Kwang Pom came back
here. They aided ! think, In making
the treaty with the United States, and
began to plan for the introduction Of
modern civilization. Ambassadors were
sent to Washington, ana they returned
full Of new ideas and schemes for the
modernization OF the country. The
chief Of these ambassadors was Prince
Min Yong TX, who IS related to both the
king and queen, and who was one Of
the most influential Of the progression.
lists. The foreigners from all the greatest
nations established themselves at the
capital, and Corea seemed TO be on the
same road as Japan. Kim had at this
time the implicit confidence OF his
majesty He was head Of the COLOMBIA
ton department, was vice president OF
the foreign Office and had undertaken
the establishment OF modern postal
system for the country. lie had begun
to build a mint Electric lights had been
ordered rom America for the palace,
and G body OF Corean cadets hat been
sent from Japan and drilled by the sol.
diers there. They had come back and
the king had given them important posi-
tons in the palace. The Chinese IN.
structors OF the troops had been dis.
missed, and gatling guns were ordered
from America.
In the meantime, the ant-foreign
spirit began to rise. The Chinese saw
that they and their civilization were
losing ground every day. They ielt that
Corea was slipping away from them,
and they did all they could to lomcnt
trouble, They soon had a party in their
tayor. Prince Min Yong TX changed his
policy, and leaned toward the Chinese,
and the country was In a short time
divided upon the lines Of progress and
antl-progTess, or, In orther words, upon
those OF China and Japan. 10 Is divided
In the same way today. China repre-
sents the old regime, Japan stands in
the place OF modern progress and civill'
zation, There are two parties now, as
there were then, and It may DE said that
these parties are headed by the families
OF the king and queen. The queens
family is very strong IN Corea. The
chiei officials who have been squeezing
the country to death belong TO 10, and l
am told that they favor the Chinese.
They did so ten years ago, and It was
through them that a large part OF the
kings revenues went 10 the paying OF
Chinese troops, who travelled about the
country acting In the most impudent
way. Kim OK Kun saw with alarm the
growth of this Chinese element As
vice president OF the foreign Office, he
had TO pay the bills Of many contracts
which were made with the Japanese,
but there was no money 10 the treasury,
lie decided to overthrow the existing
government, TO seize the KING, ana,
through him, rule Corea after modern
methods. lie had influential friends to
help him, and his conspiracy came TO
head just about ten years ago
II was the night Of December 4, 1854,
The new postal service had just been
opened The first mail had been sent
that day from here to the seacoast at
Chemulpo and the new postmaster gem
eral was giving dinner IN honor OF the
event. The leading foreigners had
rushed In aud taken up their residence
in Seoul as soon as the country was
opened, and a party OF these noble
Coreans and generals were at the table
doinp Justice 10 the feast The dinner
was at its height when an alarm OF llre
was raised and II was reported mat the
house Of the crown prince was IN llames'
Now, according to the customs OF thls
country one OF the two generals-in'chiei
of the army has to 20 10 every FIRE that
occurs in the capital. lie organizes the
forces Tor It's suppression and reports
upon il to the king, General Min Yong
Tx rose from the table and rushed for
bis horse. A lew moments later he was
brought back with his body covered