The Washington times., 1903-11-04
THE NORTHERN PROVINCES
FRIENDLY TO THE CAR
Result of Kindly Relations
Established Across the
Tumen Long AgO-BuSi-
neSs Activity Attracted
Koreans.
By Archer Butler Hubert.

VITA Russian possession of Manchuria
at last acknowledged, Korea again pe-
comes the hot-bed ef Far Eastern pom
tics Russian rule has descended upon
Siberia and Manehuria slowly bC- - II
revocably as a glacier. We have gwen
in a former article the reason why, &C
cord.ag to Russian publicists, It cannot
vault the Great Wall and menace China
proper.
But there is no Great Wall between
AIanchuria and Korea. and letter be-
fore me. dated the Goth of last month
at & le capital OF Korea, says that Rus
sian activity on the northern Korean
border Is pronounced and means war
when the crops are gathered.
The kindly relations established across
the Tumen, when long ago Russia
reached the Korean boundary. at once
captured the admiration of the Koreans
IN the northern Korean provinces. The
awakening business activity across the
river at once attracted Korean shop
keepers. artisans and laborers. The in
dacements which the Russian authori-
ties offered for colonization we're not
without effect. Thousands Of Koreans
crossed the. border. took laad and seed.
and IN time became loyal Rrissian SUD-
i5ects Russia owes much OF her In
fuence in Korea to the friendly policy
which she inaugurated when first the
double eagle looked wistfully across the
Tuner The fierce struggle between the
Japanese and Chinese factions In Korea
through all the years has served to
. bring out In clearer relief than ever
the attitude OF the Muscovite. AS Rus
sta became more and more an interested
party in Korean politics. both Japan and
China looked upon her with every man.
ner Of dlstrust. but the Korean never
thought Of this distrust other than as
thS result OF Jealousy.
Escape of the King.
The escape Of the King from the good
but undesirable reforms of the Japanese
party, after the Japan-China war. mark
cd the outward beginning Of Russian
predominance IN Korea. The Kings ac-
ton had deeper meaning than one IN
acquainted with Korean politics would
recognize. The possession of the person
OF the King means the control OF the
politics Of the country Korea Lerself
was placed IN Russian hands when the
dOors OF the Russian legation closed
behind her King.
There are those who chose to irapute
only Interior and sinister motives to all
that Russia has done IN Korea It Is
wei not 20 fall into that error. Surely
those who have sees. Korea for once
perfectly free and independent cannot
but admit that II was a sorry dav for
the poor people OF the land when Russia
Withdrew her strong arm. OF course
al this talk OF one nation helping an
other out Of purely disInrerested mo-
nves and simply for the happiness Of
being eble to do some good in the world
50 full OF wrong and sorrow, does wen
In diplomatic papers. but apart from
them Il may be accounted next TO nom
sense There are no such nations IN
the world, nor win there be until the
millennium. The United States has been
lighting freedoms battle for the little
island OF Cuba But were the island IN
the Indian Ocean and did not the Cuban
revolution cost the United States $780,
10000 a year. perhaps Spain would
have had somewhat less hopeless case.
And yet the instance comes as near be-
ing a strictly Humanitarian" one as
could be found. No. nations do not Of
fer their help to one another without
expectation Of mutual benefit This is
the best that can be said Some
times IL happens that the only good
which results is TO the party of the sec
ond part. with reference to Russia IN
Korea l. would be well 20 AXE the posi-
ton mat she mas always Ljped the best
Tor Korea and expected in return for
her kind ofices 70 inculcate into the
minds % the people q Gesire for Rus
sian protection. That she has or VIII
ever force this upon Korea IS 20 be
doubted. Much Of the hostility 70 Rus
sian advance IN Korea is due TO an
ignorance Of the real condition OF the
Koreans as a people and TO some recent
actions Of the Russian representative IN
Seoul, which cannot escape censure.
The Financial Adviser.
AS may be more or less known, the
advtSer 70 the Korean doanca derart-
ment IS really premier OF Korea To.
this position II was customary 70 call
foreigners. who were engaged by private
contract for a stated period. To this
position the chief commissioner OF
Korean customs. Mr.. McLeavy Brown.
had been called during the Kings resi-.
dence al the Russian legation When
the King returned 70 the palace. IN Feb
ruary. 1897. the great influence OF Russia
IN the politics OF the land was not at
once revealed The revelation. however
came IN fill force when IN November
1881. the Russo Korean agreement was
announesd This agreement was signed
Of foreign affairs and thu Russian
charge d affaircB. A. de Speyer II was
announced By the Times" in London
the same daV.
Now the Korean council OF state never
heard OF the Russo Korean agreement
until II was signed. Their approval or
ncn-approval OF Il later had no signif-
cation whatever. The criticism which
met this document on the ground OF its
illegal character was well founded, for
the Korean representative was not au-
thOrized regularly 10 make the Russo
Korean agreement. Was the Russian
As 70 this no one can speak with au-
thOrity. Still influence seems TO indi-
cate that the Russian representative 10
Korea was authorized TO play his own
hand IN his own way. and win II he
could. whether or not 4 was antici-