The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-19
The Secretary Mixes i'm the Jap
anese-Chinese-COrean Trouble.
He Notifies Japan that the United
States Views with Regret the Levying
of War on Defenseless Nation.

by Japan upon a weak and defenseless ma
ton like Corea. The statement was, in
part:
1.-The fact has just come to light that the
administration, through Secretary Gresn-
am, has committed another diplomatic
blunder, which is considered even more
serious than the attempt to restore queen
Liliuokalani and which may have more inn
portant results. Members of the diplomatic
corps, among whom the facts have created
something Of a sensation, tell this story or
1t: The Chinese minister. who has been IN
frequent consultation OF late with the Sec
rotary of State regarding the strained re-
lationS existing between Japan and Corea,
has finally induced the Secretary to send
an official cable dispatch to the Japanese
government expressing the dissatisfaction
of the United States with the policy which
Japan has been following toward Corea
and closing with these important words:
The United States views with regret the
levying of unjust war by Japan upon
weak and defenseless nation like Corea.
This is considered a greater diplomatic
bunder than the Secretary's action in the
Ha waiian controversy, but there has not
yet been time TO realize the full effect OF
the message. The japanese government has
made no reply and has probably not yet
recovered from its establishment At the
Japanese legation here the officials profess
10 know nothing whatever about the bel
lgerent message and express grave doubt
as to the accuracy of the story. There Is
no doubt about the existence of the cable
dispatch Secretary Gresham has shown a
copy of it to Sir Julian Pauncefote, the
British ambassador. The Chinese and Core
legations have copies of Ii and the fact
OF its existence is known TO several men,
bers of the Senate and House committees
on foreign relations"
Efforts were made to-day to confirm the
story, for it was assumed that if the Sec
rotary was correctly quoted he had gone
to an extreme length in thus addressing the
japanese government and that the result
would be a serious diplomatic complication,
as the Japanese would be sure to resent
the Secretary's expression as unwarrant-
able interference. 1t happened that Secre-
tary Gresham was indisposed to-day and
kept TO his room in the Arlington, but he
was induced TO send word that he could
not. at this time, say anything either in
denial or affirmation of the publication, as
the correspondence is still in progress, and
10 make a partial voluntary publication
would violate diplomatic practice. Since the
subject has attracted much attention,
however. it is almost certain that the Sen
ate will adopt a resolution calling for the
correspondence, and in that case the Sec
retary's scruples would not be strained in
making a full and complete response.
The other officials of the State Depart
ment, when approached with inquiries,
either stood mute or declared that they
were not informed upon the subject. There
is reason to believe that when the CORE
spondence is mace public ii will be found
that the Secretary'S language has been, per-
haps, unintentionally misquoted and that
the error, though apparently slight. really
places the Secretary in a position substan-
TALLY different from that assumed by him.
CHINA AND JAPAN JEALOUS.
Aside from the particular dispatch which
forms the substance of this mornings pub
lication. the preceding facts as to the
negotiations were obtainabie here: 1.-THE
history of the incident begins with the
Corean rebellion when, upon the applica-
ton of the King, the United States sent
the war ship Baltimore TO Chemulpo. AL
most simultaneously the Japanese and
Chinese governments sent military forces
to aid the King in his efforts TO stamp
out the rebellion. They were successful,
and when quiet was restored the
Coreans proffered their thanks and sug-
geSted a withdrawal OF the foreign forces
This was not so easily to be accomplished.
y government official made an explana-
ton substantially as follows of the situa-
ton in Corea and of the atti-
tude and course of this government:
The Chinese and Japanese have always
been at odds whenever Corea was con-
cerned for each had long cherished designs
upon the autonomy of the country. How
ever. the Chinese were willing to withdraw
If the Japanese will do likewise. but the
latter country discovered that she had a
number of grievances against the Coreans
on account of maladministration and max
touched the very existence of Corea as an
Independent nation, Japan announced that
her troops would not be withdrawn until
these conditions were met. AT this point
the attention and interest of other nations
was strongly aroused, for ii was seen that
the peace of all northern Asia was in
jeopardy, and the powers that had great
interests there began to consider what
should be done to dissuade Japan from
down the integrity of the little nation that
had served a buffer between the two
great Asiatic nations Great Britain and
Russia and France interposed with pa
cifc circumstances. but these were un-
needed by Japan. the present government
of which, it is intimated here. was in such
desperate pass politically that ii felt
obliged TO excite the national feeling as a
means of preservation.
Then the United States was drawn into
the matter. We have large interests i'm
China and Japan, and prospects of greatly
charging our trade relations. and when
United States Minister Dunn. at Toxic,
represented the conditions 10 the State De-
partment, il was felt to not be only in
our own interest, but for the good of all
great European powers to prevent a con-
fiict that would surely he disastrous TO
both sides. such course had been
case of small republics of Central America.
where we have succeeded in preventing
wars, and in doing so have earned the
the esteem and admiration OF the whole
world.
- n
the dispatch alleged to have been sent was
shown TO the minister. but he politely re-
ferred the reporter TO the Department of
State for Information. and intimated that
he could not with propriety talk of the
matter. IL was said that no recent dis
patches have been received from Corea.
copy of the paper containing the dis
patch was shown to the japanese minister,
who very promptly returned a reply that
he knew nothing a all of such a MESA ge
and had no official intimation that il had
been sent. He said: The Japanese gov
eminent is perfectly satisfied with the atti-
tude OF the administration regarding Corea,
and Is confident that il is actuated by SEN
timentS of justice towards both China and
Japan. and is only DESTROYS of a pacific
solution OF differences between the two
countries"
a diplomatic. familiar with Eastern af-
fairs. sad that expression of the dis
satisfaction felt by this government i'm the
manner indicated would not affect the fu-
tu.e action Of the Japanese government.
one effect however. might be that should
il De concluded TO submit the differences
now existing between the two nations 10
arbitration. the United States might not
be asked TO serve. as probably would have
been the case otherwise. No news on the
matter could be had from the members OF
te Chinese legation. Memlters of the
House committee on foreign affairs deny
that feature of the story which saws they
have seen the Gresham dispatch Chair
man McCreary. Representative Hit and