New-York tribune., 1900-12-30

others who desired or advocated the making of
reforms Corea- These dispatches could be
opened according to law. only at the Confucian
temples and in presence of two witnesses. This
was done in each case but the witnesses in sew
eral instances were either not bold enough or not
foolish enough to keep the secret, and forthwith
informed the prominent native Christians, and
these in turn informed the foreigners. both in
Seoul and in the country.
The statement seemed incredible. but when active
measures taken by the foreign representa-
tives at the capital they met by such contra
dictory and illogical statements the part Of the
Government that it transpired that it was not
mere canard, but that the Government of Corea,
or at least holding the highest places in the
gift of the Government, had actually used their
authority to attempt to a general massacre.
not only of native Christians in the country, but
of foreigners we'll 1t is not certain yet whether
the operation of the order to have included
Seoul but If it appears after thorough tnvesti-
cation it will prove very serious affair 1t seems
to be a precise repetition of the inception of the
China trouble excepting that all Confucianists
were invited to take part, instead of single
cety. like the Boxers. Corea has been an imitator
of China for two thousand years more, but it
was extremely improbable that she would carry
her infatuation far as to attempt a thing in
which China had already failed. and in which the
chances of success were far less than they were
in China But Corean Obtuseness has no predcabe
limits In 1866 she boasted that although the
French and British troops could enter Peking and
burn the famous Summer Palace they could not
overcome the bold tiger hunters of Corea, and
it would seem that the considerable degree
of intimacy she has formed with these outside
peoples and the lesson of the Japan-Ch war
have not been able to teach her that such an L
tempt was not only foredoomed to failure. but was
sure to entangle her in difficulties from which she
could scarcely expect TO emerge unscathed. II
must be Immediately apparent that it is impossible
for the great mass of the people of any country
keep such a secret for fortnight without its be-
coming generally known by natives and foreigners
alike. Telegraphic communication be secured
along all the great thoroughfares of the country,
and the authorities must have been worse than
blind not to that the plot must inevitably leak
out In fact it was not twenty-four hours after
the communication had been read in two of the
provincial capitals before it known to leading
native Christians. and before another twenty-four
hours the thug known at all the legations in
in such country Every attempt that has been
made by Coreans in the last twenty years TO force
the Government to reform has been wrecked
with every scheme of the retrogressive party, the
opposite side mas always RECEIVED timely warning.
included in this murderous plot and yet its sue
would have depended upon making clean
the country. 1t is well TO ask what prospect there
saDital Here again the childshness of the scheme
Is uncovered. for there more than five hundred
. trained Japanese troops in the city The Japanese
quarter could furnish another five hundred fight
ers. while the European and American residents
could have furnished fifty or sixty more These
would have been abundantly sufficient to deal with
y. Government
troops sided with the rioters the affair would be a
more serious one but it is extremely improbable
that the people of Seoul could be reused to such a
suicidal course and it is doubly doubtful whether
such enterprise. The whole thing would be an ex-
celent joke. if it were not for the apparent sin
cerity Of these advocates of wholesale murder
The utter inability of the COredn army face
even a good handful of Japanese troops makes one
marvel the faulty of these arch plotters. There
ar many people in Corea who fairly well
even if only fairly started, would mean instant
ruin TO the integrity of the COrean Government
percoate only slowly. there men intelligent
enough to inform the foreigners Immediately and
SO prevent the ruin of their country. 1t is a sad
which any Government comes when IL has
to RELY for its very existence upon those who
traitorously disclose its suicidal projects.
1t is said with some show OF reason that this
project has been formed in retaliation for a Sc
Gitous expedition in the south few weeks ago
which led by self-styled Christian refOrmers
They seem TO have started out from Fusan like
Mahomet from Medina to conquer the land for
Christianity. Their flag boIe the rtd cross on a
white held. and they carried Bibles in one hand
and the sword in the other. After rioting through
lars and We're summarily disposed Of II is re-
ported that unety-six of them were killed. We
may believe that the Government looked upon this
fTeeboOting band the vanguard OF that
would sweep the county and overthrow the an
Cient Confucian cult and force reforms upon the
rulers. This Is a gauge of the density Of the ig-
Corean otflcaldom. They utterly fail to grasp the
fact that truculent, retrogTessive policy Is the
surest TO eurtal the autonomous life of the Gov
eTnm6nt. Japan requires and demands that COrea
have such government that the rich agricultural
districts shall be unhampered in the work of
tucing that surplus Of IoOd products upon which
the Japanese artisan depends
IL Is q matter OF general observation and remark
that Corea's position, between japan and Russia
Is an extremely delicate one. which demands the
most astute and farseeiag craftsmanship to handle
properly; and IL such medieval ,actics as thosa