The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-02


NEW YORK, Aug. Recent dispatches
from Korea have indicated that the anti
foreign agitation had spread to that coun-
try and that riots had been reported in
some of the small towns. Members of the
various foreign mission boards in this city
have ri6iculed even the suggestion that
trouble had broken out in Korea. japanese
newspapers of comparatively recent date
contain accounts of the great opposition
| to foreign missionaries by the Koreans. In
it's issue of June 80, the Japan Weekly
Times" prints the following:
THE 'Jijfs' Seoul correspondent, writ
! ing under date of the 25th, says:
! - The number of those who are becom-
| ing followers of the Christian religion in
| order to escape the oppression OF the local
| authorities has been increasing of late.
Disguised. however, by the offensive atti-
tude of some foreign missionaries in the
provinces toward the non-Christian popu-
| lation and encouraged by the great fury
with which the Boxers are behaving in
China some of the Koreans are apparent
snti-Christian association. Even in Seoul
there are some who intend to throw in
their lot with the agitators. Rumor has it
| that the movement is backed by an in
| fluential instigator or instigators'
THE same correspondent adds: The
| Russians here seem to be apprehensive
| lest japan might mobilize her troops and
despatch them to Korea in view OF the
threatening situation"
The special correspondent of the Tokyo
Nichi-Nichi'' says that the people In Chol-
Ia, Chung ehong. Kyong-sang. and other
provinces jointly memorialized the Korean
court in favor Of suppressing the Christian
religion in Korea, but that several ring
| leaders of the agitation have been ar
rested. 1t viii not be out of place 10
| dwell here on the circumstances that led
| up to the affair, as given by the Tokyo
| Nichi-Nichi-" The journal says in effect
| as follows: "Of the Christian countries,
France and the United States have sent
the largest number OF missionariesN to
| Korea. Some of the American mission
| aries in Korea are exclusively devoted 10
| the propagation of the Christian religion,
| establishing themselves in the provinces.
but others-and they represent no small
number-are interested in the Korean poll
| tics and commerce. acting in concert with
a section of the Korean gentry in Seoul.
| On the other hand, French missionaries
| in the peninsula are making the spiritual
| enlightenment of the Koreans the sole
| sphere of their activity and never allow
Themselves TO be involved In political ed
dies. Owing to their whole hearted devo-
ton to their profession. they possess
far larger number of followers than their
American brother missionaries. Generally
| speaking, Koreans who become Christians
are not induced by devout motives but
by those selfish ones Of placing themselves
! under the protection OF foreign mission
aries thus freeing themselves from the
| oppression of the local officials, who do
not venture to defy the influence Of the
foreign missionaries. These missionaries,
too eager to promote the interests of the
native Christians, some times abuse their
influence by siding in wrong causes imply
because they are advanced by their Korea.
converts Such acts Of injustice have all
along constituted grievance in the eyes
OF the non-Christian Koreans and their
pent-up feeling on this matter has at last
found its outlet in the agitation reported
to be now organized" Such Is in essence,
the version given by the Tokyo NiG.Ii-
Nichi.''
Commenting editorially upon the Korean
situation, the Times says:
Recent sdviees from Korea, the more iI..-
portant OF which were published in our last
ISSUE seem to indicate that there are
precipitata serious complication unless
dealt with by the Korean Government in a
prompt and energetic manner. Both the
correspondents OF the 'JIti' and the
| 'Nichi- NichP are agreed in thinking that
there is already in tnat country an incipi-
| ent agitation against missionaries ard
other foreigners. As to what these CORE
spondents say about American mission
aries, their business and political pIopens.-
ties. and so on We 10 not know how much
truth there is in 1t. We know, however.
that few years ago the Government at
Washington deemed it advisa Bile to instruct
its Minister at Seoul to address a remark
ably vigorous ard outspoken warning to
the American missionaries with the Object
OF preventing them from meddling with
Korean politics. They may have mended
their ways since then, or they may have
again displayed their weakness for Md
ding in other peoples affairs. II we can
trust correspondents of the two foremost
papers in Tokyo, 1t appears that the latts r
is unfortunately the case, and that some of
them at least are once more making
troublesome busybodies of themselves We
know that the American Government is al
ways ready to act in a liberal and disp-
terested manner with regard TO the Korean
question.
I'VE further know that what the great
trans-Paclflc Republic has done for Japan
is remembered by the latter with pro-
found gratitude. We should. therefore.
be extremely sorry that any political trou-
BILE should occur with which American citi
zens were in any way connected. We do
not mean to say that Americans, whether
missionaries or not, are using their infiu-
ence TO the prejudice of this countrys in
terest. Neither do We wish to be under
stood as sympathizing in any way with tina
agitation which is reported to be manifest
ing Itself in some parts Of Korea, much
less with any anti-foreign tendency In Ko-
rea or anywhere else. Our only motive in
calling attention to the subject is our sim
cere soiicitude for the best interest Of
America no less than that Of Japan. We
trust that every sober-mlnded American
VIII agree with us. when we say that, in
| view OF the TACT that any trouble In the
| peninsula is sure to affect our vast inter-
ests there. II would be well for the sake of
| friendship between Japan and America IL
| the citizens of the latter country refrained
from any conduct that might compllcate
matters in Korea"