San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-15
AFTER ALMOST GRANTING HER
A RAILROAD CONCESSION
SHE TAKES IT BACK.
And Grants 1t To An American Syn,
iicate- Japan Is Hot But Will
Keep Still For Fear Of
Angering The Ameri-
can Government,

New York, May 15.-The Herald to-
day publishes the following correspon-
dence from Seoul, Korea.
There is no little hard feeling at
present between Korea and Japan and
this for two reasons. In the first
place, the two chief counsellors of the
Korean cabinet, Gen. Charles Legren-
dry and former Consul General Great
house-bOth American citizens, by the
way-have advised the cabinet to keep
as far as possible from any entangle-
ment with either Japan or a continent
tai power-entanglement in the sense
of over hastY concessions, contracts
or the like.
The result is that after repeatedly
half promising Japan to let her build
the first railways in the kingdom, an
American syndicate represented by
Mr.. T. Coleman, of Denver, has not
only obtained the contract for the rail-
road and will practically own it, but
has commenced the work of this novel
twenty-five miles of railway and will
finish within the year.
Moreover, it is an open secret that
this is merely the beginning The
syndicate proposes to build together
300 to 500 miles of line within the next
five years between the seapOrts of Fu-
san and InchhOn and the capitol; then
nOrthward over very easy country to
| Phyong -an-dO, the most fertile and
wealthy of the Korean provinces. This
has given great umbrage to Japan, as
one Of Count InOuye's special missions
was directed toward getting the con-
cessiOn for these lines. In fact. japan
has made this concession a sine qua
non in remitting a part of Korea's old
Indebtedness to herself and in making
the first loan of 100000 yen, or ST.
100000 in United States gold. 1t is at
the same time understood that Japan
cannot give full vent to her growl, be-
cause of the necessity of keeping the
United States in good humor at the
present moment. II seems quite evil
dent that japan has lost all control
over Korea's counsels and that much
of the main result of her war with
China has thus been forfeited.
There is another factor in this feel
ing of dissatisfaction. The present
Korean cabinet is far the best ever
brought together. Its members are.
without exception, progressive and ar
uClll duNpCdltS VI tic ll0N NOlNd
movement. Former Vice Minister of
Education and Communication Sang
Ho, who was given just before his de-
parture, an honorary cOlonelency in
the royal guards-nOt yet one full reg
iment in Strengths a great favorite
with the president of the cabinet and
of the leading spirits in the new pop
ular reform agitation. He, like his
fellow thinkers, is anything rather
than pro-Japanese. Now, Korea is de-
sirous of entering the postal union, and
this step Japan again views with dis
favor, it is said urging that it would
be both untimely and absurd. There
is nothing to be feared on the part OF
Japan in all this, and the Koreans are
iubilant on the strength of 1t. But
Crown Prince WILMA is still on Jap
anese soil and finds unexpected obsta-
cles put in his path whenever ne
thinks of returning. Loyal Koreans
are most anxious to see this hope OF
the progressive party once again in
Sap,1I