The evening times., 1900-04-13
STATUS OF THE ORIENT.
Russia Watching Japan Across the
Korean Mountains.

NEW YORK, April l3.-FOrmer Senator
J. sloat Fasssett. OF Elmira, after tip
around the world begun in February OF
last year. IS at the Waldorf Astoria. with
his secretary. a. B. Sitter. doctoring a
hard cold taken in Paris. He spent the
greater part Of his time abroad Rt gold
mine in Korea. in which he is partner,
and he made the acquaintance Of the En-
peror and Empress Of Korea and a num-
Der OF the leading men OF the nation.
His mining venture has proved profitable.
Seventy-fve white men and three thousand
coolies are now employed. He is convinced
that Americans can dominate commerce In
me East
Mr. Fassett Started from San Francisco.
accompanied by his family. and visited
Honolulu. Korea Japan. China. India.
Egypt. Greece. and Italy. His family is
now in Rome He will go TO MS home in
Elmira ia a week or ten days and then re-
turn to this city
Korea seems good way from here,
ard it is" said Mr. FasseJt last night,
but we can ship ton Of freight from
New York to our mines, near the YalOO
River. as cheaply as the same ton can be
sent TO the mountains Of Idsho, and just
about as quickly too. We have been IN
terested IN mining for five years now on
concession covering one thousand square
miles. Our lease mas twenty-five years
TO run. We hsve the right TO mine any
mineral but we have confined our atteu-
tion TO gold alone Al OF our machinery
is Of American manufacture, as this Coun-
try makes the best mining machinery IN
the world.
Korea at the present time is in an in
terestiug If not a nrecsTiOus situation. She
is in the situation Of d buffer state. She
hangs down from Manchuria. which IS M
possessions Of tae Russians, and al the
same time she IS almost within sight of
Japan These two nations are watching
each other across the mountains Of Ko-
rCa-
There is no telling what the outcome
Of the present strained relations between
Russia and Japan will be II would be
wisdom II the nations interested in the
open door on the Asiauc coast would
guarantee the political autonomy OF h0-
rea and make her Buffer state. as nature
designed her to De.
Korea has about three thousand miles
OF coastlines. which would be expensive
for either Russia or Japan TO control.
guard. OF protect. Russia would never feel
safe with Japan in full possession Of ko-
rea because that would bring Japan 10
the YalOO River. which a glance at the
map viii show to be strategically between
I Port Arthur and NladivostOck. on the
other hand. Japan would always feel men
aced if Russia were IL possession Of Korea,
for you can almost see the shores Of Japan
from the southern point OF Korea.
There would be no Compensation 20
either power adequate 90 the enormous
outlay IL would take 20 seize. hold, govern
and guard Korea, whereas II The 'integri y
! Of Korea could be guaranteed nature has
fitted her TO be an ideal buffer state. and
her integrity would be a large and import
/ ant factor in maintaining the peace Of the
Fast The Ko. cans are not politically
aggressive They are Ideally fitted 20 he
/ the inhabitants OF buffer St1te. and fit
would seem TO be 20 the best interests
OF the nations most concerned in the peace
OF China and Asia TO have Korea neutFsl-
lied. with a similar guarantee as that
which protects Switzes and.
Tt seems To me that the situation Oders
a most promising opportunity for Ameri-
can diplomats TO gain a victory fun Of the
fruits Of peace and prosperity In the
| Orient n IS DO secret that the relations
between the overshadowing power Of Rus
sia on the north and the restless magnih-
Gently compact strength Of Japan on the
south are at 4 poinT OF bfgh tension
Korea, " continued Nj Fassett lis pic
turesque beautiful, fertile with an eX-
Cellent climate and arr Industrious and
agreeable people. At ogr mines We EN-
plOy seventy-five white ren and 3 COO COO
lies. Our venture has been and is an in
teresting experiment. We are the piO-
neers there. ald We had TO overcome all
the obstacles IN a new and in most res
nil
gold fields in Korea. as the country pos
| sesses a continuation OF the gold bearing
outcrops Of Siberia and Nsuchuria both
of which are bound 20 be great gold pro
| ducers. The Koreans have been mining
| with crude methods for many centuries
and they are still at 10. Korea. like all
the East. by which indefinite term may be
/ embraced most Of the Asiatic seaboard. is
| awakening 10 new industrial and CONNER
cial life. There is an immense opening
/ for enterprise and capital which viii uu-
( doubtedly be supplied as soon as IL Is un-
! derstOOd that the United States Govern
menI will protect lis citizens in Ali Iegiii-
mate foreign enterprises.
The OrientaIs are kindly disposed to-
ward Americans for many reasons. bat
chiefly because they recognize that Ameri-
cans are lot seeking political empire. and
| they feel that from them they can receive
the most desirable assistance in industrial
! and commercial improvement. The con
suming capacity Of these great populations
in the Orient is not understood fully
| Neither is their ability to pay. We Ameri-
cans take their breath away by our rapid
methods, but Americans in the Orient
are contract keepers, and this is rec0gniz-
ed by the AsiatiCs. Civilization has swept
around the globe, moving westward until
&c has again reached its ancient seats. and
! il is now taking hold OF opportunities IN the
new old East with all the increased wis
| dom and experience Of all its centuries OF
! progress. The enterprises which are now
starting over there are bewildering But
| il is hardly a rOOr mans county. The
| opportunity is favorable for associated
capital In large amounts skillfullv direct