The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-07-19

Washington, D. c., July 1S.-Much
interest was aroused in official circles
here, today, by the publication of a
long statement purporting to contain
an extract from a dispatch sent by
Secretary Gresham to the japanese
government, saying that the United
States views with regret the levying of
an unjust war upon a weak and de-
fenseless nation like Corea.
Secretary Gresham was indisposed
today, but sent out word that he could
not. at this time, say any thing either
in denial or affirmation of the publica-
ton. as the correspondence is still in
progress.
1t is almost certain that the Senate
will adopt a resolution calling for the
correspondence. There is reason to be-
heve that the secretary's language has
been, parhaps, unintentionally mis-
quoted.
The history of the incident begins
with the COrean rebellion, and upon
the application of the king, the United
States sent the warShip Baltimore to
Chemulpo. Almost simultaneously
the japanese and Chinese governments
sent military forces to aid the king in
his efforts to stamp out the rebellion.
: They were unsuccessful, and when quiz
ct was restored the Coreans suggested
a withdrawal of the foreign forces.
This was not so easily to be accom-
plished.
China and Japan at Odds.
The Chinese and Japanese have al
ways been at odds whenever Corea
was concerned, for each had long-cher-
iShed designs upon the autonomy of
the country. However, the Chinese
were willing to withdraw if the Japan
csc would do the same, but the latter
country discovered that she had a
number of grievances against the Co
reans on account of administration
and made a series of demands, some
of which touched the very existence of
Corea as an INDEPENDENT nation. ia
pan announced that her troops would
not be withdrawn until these condi-
lions were met.
AT this point the attention and in
terest of other nations were strongly
aroused, and it was seen that the
peace of all northern Asia was in je-
opardy, and the powers that had great
interests there began to consider what
should be done to dissuade Japan from
persuing a course that promised to
break down the integrity Of the little
nation that had served as a buffer be-
tween the two Asiatic nations. Great
Britain and Russia and France inter
posed with Pacific remonStranceS, but
present government, it is intimated
here. was in such a desperate pass, po-
litically, that it felt obliged to excite
the national feelings as a means of
safe preservation. Then the United
States was drawn into the matter.
Our Interests ia the Orient.
We have large interests in China and
Japan, and prospects of greatly en-
iarging our trade relations and when
nj fniS Of
l1io. represented the conditions of the
state department, it was felt to be not
only to our own interest but for the
good Of all concerned to reinforce the
efforts of the great European powers
to prevent a conflict that would surely
be disastrous Gil both sides.
Such a course, according to defen-
der of the administration, has been
taken before by the United States.
Notably in the case of the small re-
pubIics Of South America, we have
succeeded in preventing wars, and in
so doing have earned the gratitude
and the thanks of our neighbors, and
the esteem and admiration of the
whole world.
At the Corean legation today, a copy
of the dispatch, alleged to have been
sent. was shown to the minister but
he politely referred the reporter to
the department of state for Informal
ton and intimated that he would not,
with propriety, talk of the matter.
1t was said that no records of the
dispatches have been received from
Corea.
A copy of the paper containing the
dispatch was shown to the japanese
minister. who promptly returned a re-
ply that he knew nothing at ali of
such a message and had no official in
timation that it had been sent. He
said:
1.-The Japanese government is per
fectly satisfied with the attitude of the
administration regarding Corea. and
is confident that it is actuated by SEN
tirnents Of justice toward both China
and Japan, and is only DESTROYS of
Pacific solution of the differences be
tween the two countries"
A diplomat, familiar with eastern
affairs. said that an expression of the
dissatisfaction felt by this government
in the manner indicated would not af-
feet the future action of the Japanese
government.
One effect however, that might be
that should it be concluded to submit
the differences now existing between
she two nations to arbitration, the
United States might not be asked to
serve, as probably she would have
been otherwise. No news on the mat
ter could be had from members of the
Chinese legations. Members of the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
deny that feature of the story which
says that they have seen the Gresham
dispatch.
Chairman McCreary and Represen-
tatives Hit and Raynor said that they
had seen no such dispatch and knew
of no action in that line, and Senator
Gray and other members of the SEN
ate Committee on Foreign Relations,