The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-08-09
AFFAIRS IN C0REA.


by both the Japanese and Chinese. The
last conquest was that by China, abou,
the middle Of the seventeenth century,
when the Manchn dynasty became firmly
established. Corea had sidel with the
defeated Mings, became nominally vas
sal Of China and was forced to pay tribute.
The reigning family OF Corea is OF most
respectable antiquity, having held the
throne since 1892. Since the Manchu
conquest Corea has minded her own af-
fairs, and has had no war with either
China or Japan.
In 1875 Japan made atreaty with Corea
which Was promptly broken, and then
renewed, the Japs gaining greater con-
cessions in the matter of open ports, per-
manent residents, etc.
In 1885 China aud Japan entered into
what is known as the treaty OF Tien-Tsin,
by which their respective rights in Corea
were defined and mutually recognized.
This treaty Japan now accuses China OF
breaking, aud so the heather rage.
The bone OF contention is hardly worth
what the struggle is likely to cost the
contending nations but the result, it can
hardly be doubted, will be to open Corea,
to some extent at least, to the develop
ments Of civilization.
Just think Of country in which the
cultivation OF the potato and the mining
Of gold have been under royal interdict.
So fearful have the Coreans been of the
outside world that they have vigorously
excluded foreigners, and systematically
hindered industrial developments. Rich
as the country is in the precious metals,
coal and iron, these are useless.
The mining of gold and silver is pro-
hibited, and even coal is only used IN
certain dist riots. In Ii Hung Chang,
her viceroy, she has statesman OF un-
questioned genius and power; so it would
seem but question of will alone on her
part. II the struggle be long one it IL
impossible to forecast the general result.
Russia on the north and England for her
commerce may then take more or less Of
a hand in the game.
Japan, however would he crippled for a
long time. This might put off the de-
voutly desired modern reincarnation OF
the old man OF Asia.
Providence, or what the skepiical polit.
ical scientist might call the law OF the
worlds economic evolution, walks in the
midst OF storms and it is much easier to
trace its footprints after the storm is over.
That this war may mean much in the va,
of preparing the path for the eager but
delicately shod feet If civilization, is mos,
likely.
Let us at least hope that the maximum
Of good may come from the minimum OF
evil.
Internal transportation and foreign
trade there are none.
In the greater part OF the country bar
ter is the only means OF exchange. There
are no such things as wheeled vehicles.
~ - y oihl tatt tiittt ttic 'pdtS pi WIZ
are even worse than the roads OF Yakima
county. In short, the whole country IL
asleep.
II China wins it is possible that Cores
viii he startled out OF her long slumber
II Japan wins, il is certain that she will
be. Japan is much more progressiv.
than China, and the sympathies of civili-
cation are very generally with her. Bur
II China be in earnest she will certainly
whip Japan.
Great bodies move slowly, however,
and China lacks the incentive Of the
spirit OF commerce and industrial progress.
She is not so ready to fight as Japan is,
but she has ten times the resources IL
men and monev.