Evening star., 1895-01-12
How Corea is Governed.

and 1t is probable that some Of the rebel
lions throughout the country are fomented
by the officials.
How COrea is Governed.
The government of Corea consists Of the
king and his officials in Seoul and a vast
number of officials who are scattered over
the country. The kingdom is divided up
into eight different provinces. Each of
these provinces has a governor, who is ap-
pointed by the king, and it is divided up
into counties or districts each of which
has its officers. Every city or district of
ten thousand houses or less has a magis-
trate who is a sort of ruler and judge.
He collects all the taxes and passes upon
all disputes. He is man of power. and
every one bows down before him. Corea
has between three and four hundred OF
these magistrates, and they practically run
the kingdom outside of Seoul. They collect
the taxes, and they have scores of scribes
about them who are a sort OF political
strikers. and who do tho dirty work for
them. These lower officers all pay those
above them for their offices, and they ex-
pect to get back their money out Of the
pay taxes over and over again, and If he
gets anything ahead it is squeezed out Of
him by torture or padding.
The Kings Big Men.
The high officials Of Seoul are numerous.
though the most of them have fed to the
country on account of the war. I was told
that there were eight vice presidents to the
home office, when I was in Seoul, and there
were a number OF vice presidents to the
foreign office in this office there are about
fifteen clerks and nearly many secreta-
ries of state. The king has two men who
are supposed to be his closest advisers and
these are called the ministers of the right
and lett. All of these officials when they
go to the palace take their toilet cases and
r1IrNl h hnp md
trots behind carrying their extra clothes,
combs brushes and other chamber furni-
ture. They have to wait long time often
before they can see the king and they cam
not get out of the palace before the sun
rises. The official work Is done outside of
the palace, but the offices are not in full
blast until about high noon.
They Sit Up Late.
The Coreans, although the laws do not
permit the men to go on the streets at
night, are fond Of late hours. They sit
and gossip amorg themselves, and their
parties are always CT one sex. They are
always either stag parties or hen parties,
and the men dearly love the flowing bowl.
There are more old men gossipers in Corea
than there are old maid gossipers in Amer
lea. 1t is not an uncommon thing for
crowd of young and middle-aged men to
spend a night in chatting, singing and in
the writing of poetry. In poetry they use
the official court language. l may speak
in another letter of their education and
schools. They are queer in every way and
though they have many things which are
cruel and bad sthey are. on the whole
very refined people, and are good-natured
and kindly.
The Kings CcnsOrs.
There is one class of government Off
cials. however, which Corea has which We
do not find in America, and which are now
restricted to Corea and China. These are
the censors. They are appointed by the
king, and it is then business to travel over
the country and see that Justice is admin
istercd There are perhaps a dozen Of
them under the government. They go
about in all sorts of ways, and perform
the part of official detectives. No one is
supposed to know who they are. They may
appear in the disguise of a coolie or ped
dler, and they will settle in town ruled
by an unjl st ma Sistrate and live among
pie are complaining. and If their complaints
are just they Lave the power to remedy
them. Each of them carries the kings
seal, and they have the right to order any
head off below that of a governor. They
have of late years, however, been very cor
rupt, l am told, and have been brbed by
the officials The Japanese, who are now
controlling the &C untry. are doing what
they can to put down this bribery. 1t is a
herculean task, and 1t is believed by the
foreigners ir Corea that the cleaning of
the Augean stables of Corean official cor
ruption is a bigger job than the conquering
of China. How it will turn out time only
can tell.
FRANK G. CARPENTER