The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-01-25

| "'""NS VI pOWST IN Korea,
much TO the dissatisfaction of many
OF the people. Through this faction.
always pro Chinese, Mr.. Yuan has
exertei his influence, or in other words
CnlnaS influence. The tenure of
power OF this faction has depended
| upon IT'S ability to conciliate the
Middle Kingdom. To meet this draft
upon her resources, and also satisfy
her greedy and extortionate officials.
Korea has been compelled to tax her
laborlng classes beyond the ability of
human flesh and blood to endure
6.--ln 1882 and 1884 two thousand
and one troubles arose in Korea.
These oppressed laborng classes,
ground into the dust by the heel of
official oppression, rose up against the
Government, and Chinese soldiers
were promptly dispatched to suppress
them. In both instances the victor
lous party, regarding Japan as head
and front of progressive tendencies,
attacked and destroyed the Japanese
Legation in Seoul, and compelled the
| Japanese to leave the city. On the
hrst occasion IS84) when the two
empires had troops stationedin Korea,
the Japanese, mere handful of men,
found themselves assailed by twenty
times their number of Chinese braves,
and the japanese Representative,
with his suite and all the inmates of
his Legation, had to fly from burn
ing building and force their way from
Seoul through mob instigated and
abetted by the soldiers of the Middle
Kingdom. Japan's forbearance at
these crises received the commenda.
ton of thoughtful people everywhere.
But in the consequent negotiations
she secured treaty rights which struck
a fatal blow at China's coveted suzer
ainty for in 1882 she was allowed to
station troops in Korea and in 1885
| she concluded treaty with China,
the Tlentsln Treaty, by which each
power pledged itself not to send troops
to Korea without first notifying the
other. the two empires being thus
placed upon an equal military footing
with regard to the little kingdom. 1t
was equivalent to placing Korea under
the joint protection of China and
| Japan. In the disturbances of 1884,
the late Kim Ok Kyun played a pro
minent part, Of which we will speak
more hereafter.
Japan could not forget the i'll
treatment which her subjects in Ko
rea received in 1884, at the hands of
both Koreans and Chinese, the for
mer urged on by the latter. Japan
has been able to obtain no redress.
Innumerable have been the instances
land very annoying in which Japan
has suffered In thus way during the
past 10 years, no single case assuming
such proportions as to warranta peace
full nation like Japan, and especially
under the present Cabinet, in exceed
ing the limits of diplomatic force to
settle it. But delay and postponement
have defeated again and again the
ends of justice.
9.--Of the victims of extortion and
oppression who arose in Korea in
1884 to overthrow the dominant fac
ton, Kim Ok Kyun was one of the
leaders. His party, overcome by the
force of Chinese arms, Kim and few
of his associates escaped to Japan
where he has since been sheltered by
the Japanese Government, being con
sidered as a political refugee. His
family and relatives had all been put
to death in Korea, and he must have
met the same cruel fate had he re-
turned. Many Japanese believe that
Kim was true patriot, who represent
ed an oppressed class, and for the
Liberation of whom he was willing to
risk all In March last, as the result
of plot made by Korean political
enemies in Japan. Kim was enticed to
Shanghai, where he was cruelty mur
dered, on March 27th, in Japanese
Hotel by fellow countryman com
missioned by political enemies in Ko
rea to do the deed China honored
the assassin by taking him in triumph
on one of her ships of war back to
Korea, and on the same ship carried
the body of his victim. The assassin
was honored at home, while Kim's
body was mutilated, disgraced, ex-
posed to public view, and finally
cut in pieces and distributed among
the eight provinces. Japan saw the
point and felt the insult keenly, put
said nothing. Enemies of the Min
faction in Korea were deeply stirred
by this event.
o.-Korea, like China, is country
in which misgovernment and extortion
have flourished luxurlantly for centur
les, but under the recent Min admins
tration change for the worse has
taken place. The former three years
official tenure of Office was reduced to
| oaa haoca The official haI to nat oil