The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-07

San Francisco, Sept. Especial cor
respondence Associated Press per
steamer Peru, dated Yokohama,
Aug. 24l - Since the last dis
patch of news to America, circum-
stances have occurred which throw
much light on the long disputed ques-
ton as TO which side of the war is
favored by the king of Corea. The
lower classes in that country have no
opinions on political subjects. If the
middle class have any they are not al
lowed to express them.
Even the aristocracy have learned
the necessity of keeping silence, if
their views are opposed to those of
the governing body. The only voice
hitherto heard has been that of the
ministry, a corrupt oligarchy under the
control of China
1t has been to their interest to repre-
sent that the sovereign was in hearty
accord with them, and within the past
few weeks their assurances to this eff
feet have been generally accepted as
true.
The queen, who is blood relation of
Mings, is undoubtedly under the infiu-
ence of China, and as she is understood
to be greatly superior to her consort in
intelligence and force of character, her
power to impress her ideas upon him
has been easily credited. That the
M1ngS acted really in the kings name
and with his sanction, was not serious
ly questioned up to the time when the
Chinese diplomatic agent in Seoul de-
serted his post and left the court free
from surveillance. Then the japanese
envoy received a message from the
king father, suggesting that If an in
terview could be arranged in the pal
ace, his son could be induced to recog-
ntze the justice and friendliness of Ja-
pans Intentions without much diff
ficulty.
The kings father Officially known as
the Tai Won Kun, was at one period
the regent Of the country, but through
the intrigue of the Mings he was de-
posed some ten years ago and con-
demned to long captivity. After his
liberation he was forbidden to ap-
preach the court, but that he kept
Watchful eye on the course of events
is proved by the accuracy of his state
ment respecting the sovereign. The
japanese envoy at once insisted upon
meeting the monarch personally and
under conditions that should enable
him to speak his mind without re-
Straint. Being denied this privilege by
the royal advisers, he determined to
present himself with an armed escort,
and sent for 2. detachment from the
Japanese forces outside the city. As
this small guard passed by the palace
on the way to the ENJOYS residence it
was fired upon by Corean soldiers in
the service Of the Mings.
Had Been Under Coercion.
These shots settled the fate of the
ministry. The native troops We're dis
persed with scarcely a struggle, and
an hour later the representative of ia
pan was in amicable conversation with
the sovereign, who did not hesitate to
declare that he had been under coer-
cion ever since the beginning of the
imbroglio with China, and that he was
far from feeling the hostility toward
Japan which his government had pub
licly attributed to him. In token of
his sincerity, he had already rid him
self of his late council and summoned
Tai Won Kun to assist him in forming
new administration. Before the day
was over cabinet, made up of prac-
t1cal opponents of the Ming faction and
been installed. with Tai Won Kun as
prime minister, and a committee OF
seventeen appointed to reorganize the
administrative system and reform the
national laws upon a basis recommen-
ded by Japan. Such activity and en-
ergy had never before been witnessed
since the foundations of the Corean
monarchy were laid.
The extraordinary promptness of the
DrODOSlIlOn
put forward by the japanese envoy
might have laid him open to the sus-
picion Of seeking merely to conciliate
the new comerS and to avert their an
imosity by unconditional submission,
but for the discovery of an action on
his part, entirely inconsistent with any
secret sentiment of ill-will. As soon
as the outgoing cabinet had left the
palace, and without waiting to consult
his new council, he called together the
commanders of the few troops remain
ing at his disposal and ordered them
instantly to join the Japanese army on
the way to attack the Chinese at Asan
He was not instigated to do this by
anybody. No one expected it of him,
and no one was more surprised than
the Japanese representative when he
heard Of it. To suppose that the king
was actuated by motives of policy
would be to credit him with a sagacity
which he certainly does not possess.
The universal belief in his lack of
spirit and cleverness seems to be well
founded His demonstration is ex-
planned rather as signfying his delight
at being relieved from an irksome re-
straint and his determination to "get
even" in some way with the men who
had kept him for years in leading
strings.
old Stories Exploded.
But it effectually disposes of the old
stories that he had nothing but hatred
for Japan and would resist to the ut
most every attempt of that empire to
establish its influence in the peninsula
Since the day that he came in contact
with the envoy he has shown every dis
position to cooperate, so far as he is
able, with the movement for Corea's
regeneration. When the japanese
army returned victorious to Seoul,
bringing with them the captured arms
and standards, he sent a deputy es-
pecially to welcome and congratulate
them. He has appointed a commission
er to visit Japan and thank the en-
peror for the promise of police and a
stable government to his country, and
he has formally renowned the suzer-
ainty of China and proclaimed his in
tention to assert his independence and
equality in all future dealings with
that nation. Unless Japan fails utterly
in the war the yasalage Of the past will
never be renewed.
Political and Social Reforms.
The political and social reforms
which Japan demands are designed
not only to prevent China from inter-
fering hereafter, but also of giving the
whole people Of Corea an opportunity
and the power 10 improve their condi-
zion and to prepare the country for the
introduction Of western civilization.
Several of them have already been de-
creed and put In force. These are:
The adoption of a new royal title,
which. though still meaning king in