Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-06
RUSSIANS IN THE FAR EAST.
Asserts That the Koreans
Dislike the and
Favor Russians.

The London Daily Graphic publishes this
interesting interview with Sigma Serge
Syromiatnikoff, as he is known in private
life-a member of the Russian imperial civil
service, who has drifted into journalism,
and has specialized on the far East:
II spent two months and a half in Seoul,
and in travelling about the country" said
the Russian. when questioned concerning
the situation in Korea. Il had an audience
of the king. and 1 endeavored to learn the
views of leading men of all classes. and L
have come to the conclusion-let me say it
t~rankly-that Korea is bound to have the
same destiny as Finland, in other words.
TO become a province of the Russian en-
pire. The growing influence of Nladivostok
and the Strategical necessities of or posi-
ton in the far East are rendering this in
evitable. In the same way as Finland be
came necessary to Russia from the moment
that ST. Petersburg was built, so Korea has
become equally necessary to US, owing 10
our possession of Vladivostok."
surely objected the interviewer; ia
pan might on the same grounds advance
equally strong claims?"
Perhaps SO; but I am not discussing
claims. / I'm discussing destinies. The
~ out of court by their recent action in
Korea. and of all foreigners none are more
intensely hated throughout the country
confined to the owns. The japanese flood
the country with inferior Manufacture,
textiles which will not wear. matches which
and everywhere people complain of their
sharp practices. They are large purchasers
established in the treaty ports. which adj
vance money to the farmers on growing
crops at a minimum interest of 3 per cent
per month. You may imagine how this
usury embitters their relations with the
p,easantryi Among the more Intelligent
centuated by a knowledge of the sinister
part they have played in recent Korean
.sNXrt;Ia ,roraea Jpararca hDS hacOrpa
thus compromised. Russian influence has
vastly increased. The mere fact that the
King King took .ba rd reIu mnr ae ' nf t baI oueen iG by the
Japanese shows how naturally the Koreans
turn to us for protection. Do not imagine
iptrigues! It is nothing Of the kind. Ever
since we have been at Nladivostok and
have established order in that corner of the
far East. the Koreans of the northern. pro-
vinces. a hardy, enterprisinS and docile
race. have fiocked. into our colony. We
have now many villages Ss n OF kor rfTa 5 snni1w
where they learn something Of civilization.
and where they make money.
1T is. however. in the northern prov
inces that Russia's influence is strongest;
Now it happens that the king himself
comes from the North; and that Of late he
After the late war he formally petitioned
the Russisn =, go Tnras and TO eve assnms the
Russians have done at Seoul has been at
his request. He and his mobiles are sending
the best of their youth to Russia to be
educated. Under these circumstances, can
YOU be surprised that Russian influence is
in the ascendant in Seoul?"
Did you hear anything about the par
tition of China?" asked the interviewer
Not Until I arrived in Europe" said NJ.
Syromiatnikoff blandly. No one who
knows China talks. or even thinks, OF such
a thing. And even in Europe no sane
politician dreams of embarking on so gi-
gantic and responsible an enterprise. The
truth is that you could not have a better
plan of dealing with China than through
one central authority. and the best thing
that could occur from the European view
world be that the Pekin government
should become more powerful than 1t is to-
day. Individual merchants in the far East
have always found it convenient to. deal
with the natives through a native middle
man. who is called a comprador- Well. to
the powers the Pekin government is n sort
of magnified comprador. and | believe that
European statesmen are quite content 10
continue their relations with China through
that channel, however defective 1t may be-
Of one thing I am certain. Any great shock
by partition or otherwise. that might be
given to the Chinese empire, would pro-
duce an economic revolution throughput
the world. The day will come when China
Will crush all our Western industries. ana
we shall be her economic vassals. Do not
let us hasten that day."