, 1894-10-13

examined is apt to assume milder forms in
practice than would be expected from the
verbal accounts Of it. Then we get occasion
al illusions to the sacred right of rebellion'
which emboidens an oppressed people from
time to time to seize the cruel magistrate and
march him out Of the district, a popular right
which is recognized in China also and with
which no wise Government would interfere.
But Go rrnmonts are hot always wise, and
it was the lack of wisdom in May last which
allowed a local rising against an eX-
tOrtionate oficial to Envelope into an armed
lnSurrectiou against the Korean Government.
With aIlpossiblr mitigations, however, the
Korean administrator remains a cesspo0l Of
corruption. and thu lot Of the people is hard.
They are not so much misela lie as dead. and
to see the men moo ing solemnly about the
streets dressed in white cambria; or s%quatting
IL groups on the floors of their novels while
their women do the work, one wonders what
special attraction life can have for a Korean.
Lazy the mea doubtless are, hnt they are eble.
bodied and apparently well nourished, and
ready to work for a master, as is evidenced
by the gangs of coolies who. with a most prac-
teal plck-saddlc fitted TO their back. carry
merchandise along the roads. To a potential
nigger driver the wealth Of tlews and sincNs
waiting for The k0urJash in A,orea i, too
tempting. The soil is rich, the'climate good.
and the population sparse. We're it not then
even sa g0dlike enterprise to wed that docile
muscle III some W Y to the kindly earth, SO
that both might BECOME fruitful and multiply
abundantly, that ommerc might be fed and
wealth increase ? Visions Of that species of
reform engage the fancy of many progressive
Japanese, nor is it men of English blood who
should be the first to reprove this missionary
ambition.
Yet the zeal for sudden and radical reforms
IN a friendly country which has impelled ia
pan to despatch an army to Korea to enforce
them will be discounted to its true value by
practical politicians. 1t is Just n little too
good to be true, too thorough to he practical
Bile, and it violates the known methods of
human progress. During her.loug intercourse
with Korea, which has extended, without 90
ing back to the ~semi-mythical exploits of the
Empress lingo, oveTJhree hundred years of
clear authentic history, japan has never
made any attempt to reform Korea. She has
invaded the country more than once and ex-
ercised the full rights of a conqueror, and an
Asiatic cOnqueror, but reformed it? Never
Neither, indeed, did China-the traditional
protector Of the Kingdom ATTEMPT any in
ternal reforms she. had perhaps more than
she could or cared to. 30 t. reform herself
Ietit must be allowed TINT the only step
towards Korean reform, feeble and hating as
II was, has been taken by China, and not ,by
Japan. When Korea was opened 10 foreign
trade in 1882 the Chinese Government saw
the necessity of something being done to meet
the new demands which would be made on
the Kings Ministers, who we're without ex.
perience i'll foreign intercourse. She saw
clearly that Korean institutions would have
to undergo notifications to adapt them to the
new regime. 1t was with a view to doing for
Korea what the Kingdom could not do for
herself that China lent the King the sorvicrs
of her Own efficient Customs organization.
which for ten years has furnished the only
source Of regular revenue to the State. With the
same object China selected certain competent
foreign advisers to assist the Kings Govern
ment in It's novel relations with foreigners as
we'll as to lead it in the path of progress, That
the intention was better than the fulflment of
this scheme can hardly be imputed AZ a
crime to China, seeing she acted according to
her lights and to the best Of her Judgment.
The point is that China has proved herself
favourable to Korean reform, and, though she
has done little, 10 other Power has done any
thing, oguntil a plea for armed inter, ention
was wanted ever tho 1ght of doing anything
to improve the condition of Korea.
The allegation made on behalf Of the Japa-
nest Government, though not on it's responsi.