The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-10-27
CHINA AND JAPAN.

lhe pretence that China as titular
Suzeraln OF Korea possesses any more solid
rights in the country than in Thibet or
siam, where she claims the same must be
lncontlnently dismissed. Again and again
CHINA has left 10 Korea the faculty and
function OF making treaties for herself,
and IN what is called the Li-Ito Concordat
the Middle kingdom distinctly, and once
Tor all, recognized the equal rights of
Japan i'll the peninsula. Why, then.
should the japanese Empire maintain these
rights and insist on exercising them? The
answer is, because she has a far larger
commerce than any other nation with
Korea; because considerable number of
her subjects are settled there in trade; but
above all, because the occupation of the
peninsula by China, Or by Russia, would
be Il drawn sword perpetually held at her
heart. For thirteen years Japan has
patiently strlven to square this matter with
China, and the time was-Li Hung Chang
and Count Ito being at that epoch great
his fathers authority to promise Il full and
happy accord in the business But since
then, difficulties were created, and NEIL
aces have passed from the Nicerov's lips
which mad behind them, as certain persons
know, II new and secret understanding
with kussla, most dangerous to any linyer-
ing hope that the independence of Korea
would be sale ii it We're left to the power
which has called itself Suzerain. And
next what happened: So far as China
could atterly control Korea, she has done
50 always to the ruin OF the little kingdom.
She fostercd there her own corrupt system
OF farming the Offices OF state, which NAV
suit China, but has turned Korea into n
den OF official thieves. Travellers like Mr..
Henry savage Landor say that their first
impression, ON seeing samples Of the
Korean population at Chemulpo or Seoul,
was OF their extremely depressed and Woe
bcgonc looK. The fact is, that all life,
ana JOY, and hope are squeezed out
OF them by the domcsticdnd civil arrange
mentS lazily fostered from Pekin. The
consequence has becn-since even worms
will tun-that rising after rising has
occurred OF the common people.
War has superyened at last. not as a
political alternative, nor for the reason
that Japan considered her military and
naval forces complete, but because the
crisis had come when Japan must act. or
see Korea abandoned in disorder. first. ia
Chinese mandarinS and cumuchs, next and
finally, to Russian intrigue, made all
commanding by occult arrangements with
PeEln and by the completion of the trans
Siberian Railway At the first increase
OF Chinese troops in and near Seoul. the
Government of Toxic was bound to
strengthen its own forces there: and when
China demanded their withdrawal was
equally bound absolutely to refuse. until
plan for united action had been agreed
upon between the two protecting Powers.
She was thus constrained by considerations
as has been said, of national safety: and
besides being so obliged, she was diplo-
matlcally and internationally justified.
Equal rights with China in Korea had
practically existed from the time of the
Shotgun Hideyoshi, whose successful in
vaslon i'll 1895 proved that Korea and
and Japan must continue to have inter-
woven destinies. Nationally, then, be-
cause nothing can separate those destinies
OF Korea and Japan which geography has
indissolubly united; internationally, be-
cause diplomatic evidence is abundant to
prove that the rights of Japan in Korea
were at least equal to those of China; and
morally, because Japan alone was earnest
i'll the desire to establish order and good
government in the peninsula, and to pre-
serve, if possible, its integrity-Japan has
acted as England would have acted On
all these three grounds the Government of
the Mikado stands before the world La tete
haute, and within its good rights In. the
conflict, Japan truly represents
and acts strictly in its interest
The war is so popular with the nation that
the Court has been besieged with offers of
boundless volunteer service, and of copious
funds.
Count lto-still young, vigorous and
lndefatigable-is a statesman to rank, not
merely with Oriental diplomatists of the
heaviest caliber, like Madhava Rao.
Nubar Pasha, and Ii Hung Chang, but
with the very be stand most accomplished
governing men Of Europe. He has seen
his world and knows it we'll. He who is
to day the Bismarck of Japan-rich, power
full and popular-has stood in our streets of
London with half crown only in his pocket
In the tumultuous times of the Satsuma
Rebellion his life was saved only by the
heroism and devotion of his wife.
The quantity of food products raised in
the Southern States increases each year. 1t
is conceded that more Southern planters