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


from Japan's standpoint, drawing the
leading facts from official sources.
This will be followed by brief survey
Of the results of the war to date. No
attempt is here made to palliate the
sins Of either party, and it is desired
to avoid as much as possible taking
sides in the issue now pending. But
in the interests Of all parties the truth
should be known.
For scores Of years China has
made it part of her policy to use the
petty States on her borders as buffers
for her own protection against foreign
powers. But in doing this she has
made it point to incur no incon-
venient responsibilities in behalf of
such States. Outside nations were to
understand that such States were
part OF her imperial domain but on
the other hand, China would not con-
sent to shoulder the responsibility of
their acts. To the little nations was
assured whatever security might come
from the shadow of her wing, but
they must be responsible for their own
acts, except when their character as
buffers was threatened. In old
times, this theory might hold, but with
the progress of Occidental civilization
it was bound to give way Step by
step China has been compelled to
acknowledge the independence Of
these little States, not only toward the
world, but of herself also. Tonquin,
Amam, Siam and Burmah have each
in turn taught this lesson, and now
Korea is travelling the same road
The " fiction of ultimate dependence
and Intermediate freedom might do
forty years ago, but cannot stand
against the march of modern events.
Japan met this inconsistency in the
policy of the Middle Kingdom in
1873, In that year, the Korean au-
thorlties at Fusan offered a great In
suit to the Japanese official at that
port. Count Soejima was then in
China entrusted with special mis-
sion on the part of Japan. Under
direction of his Government, the
Count asked the Chinese Government
whether Korea was a dependency of
China, adding that in such case
Japan would require some amends
from China for this act of Korea; but
China promptly repudiated all respon-
slbility, thus a5rogatlng all claims to
suzerainty. In consequence of this
the Japan Korea treaty of 1876 re
cognizes the complete independence
OF Korea.
2.--For thirty years, ever since
Japan began to move in the line of
modern progress, China has treated
Japan as petty State, weak and
vacillating, deserter from Oriental
canons, imbibing new and useless
ideas which should be spurned, and
worthy in brief of nothing but con
tempt. That many Chinese and Jap
anese cordially dislike each other is
fact which foreigners in both countries
have observed with no little concern.
But Japan has patiently born the
affronts of China, and her leading
men, notably Count Soejima, Count
Ite (now Prime Minister), Viscount
Mutsu (now Minister of Foreign AT
fairs), and Count Ineuyo (now Minis
ter to Korea), have endeavored to
avoid collision with China, using
their influence to build up mutual,
international and commercial inter-
ests. And these men, with many
Others who might be named, are them
selves experts in Chinese classics.
3.-In 1876 Japan and Korea agreed
upon treaty, the first article of which
declares that "Cheson being an inde-
pendent State, enjoys the same rights
as does Japan" Upon the back of
this treaty, Japan has since dealt with
Korea. 1t was Japan that opened
Korea to the world.
4.--By the Chamulpe Convention
of 1882, Japan made stipulation
with Korea that she, Japan, should
have the right to station troops in
Korea for the protection of Japanese
subjects when such a course might
seem necessary. This right on the
the part of Japan the Peninsular
Kingdom never questioned.
5.-Korea concluded treaty with
the United States in 1882, with Great
Britain in 1883, and with other powers
later, in all of which the independence
of Korea is implied. No claims of
suzerainty on the part of China over
Korea were then made. If China
has secretly demanded and received
tribute of Korea since 1876, it is in
violation of treaty stipulations touch
ing the independence of Korea. But
this is way China has of doing things.
She by no means intended that Korea
should exercise the independence
which was thus recognized as Korea's
treaty right More distant powers
were not particularly inconvenienced