The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-27

/ ed. hOuseholders are imprisoned III they
fail to deliver on demand, everybody IS
squeezed and oppressed. and the draft OF
the Seoul people IS hOnoreo. The surplus
and "a Is always iarge-g0es into the
pockets Of the local agents. Under this
system there is no incentive for the farm
er 70 labor ana no hope for the artisan
~ ne achieves anything II man ac-
cumulates a little wealth he lives in a
I hovel lest he should be suspected and de-
spoiled AS q result there Is everywhere
lamentable ignorance restitution and
crying discomfort. AS for corruption.
that is boundless and appalling. The
poor people themselves. though filled
with misery, have. like the cells. become
so accustomed TO being skinned. that
they neither know nor care to be relieved
There can be no conception of the hope
less ignorance and wretChedness Of ko-
rea- There is no way of telling in Seoul
what the receipts and expenditures or
resources of the government are. No ac-
count Is kept There are no government
al statistics Of any kind. When the royal
household requires money ID sends 20 the
local authorities ana demands 1T. and the
money is raised by pillage and force. as
mentioned 1t is expended without rec
ord.
THE accounts of the Korean govern
ment are simply ike that of the Amer
lean landlord who wrote in his book at
the end of each year. All paid in and all
paid out. There is no financial respon-
Why then should Japan and Russia
be constantly showing their angry teeth
over this spoiled and worthless country.
willing to waste blood and treasure for
the possession Of it2 A Country's people
may be spiritlcss and degenerate. its gov
eminent vicious and its cities unkempt
and dirty, and yet there may be pOSsiDil-
tiles Of wealth in it for ambitious. grow
ing nations such as seem now about 70
fight -Or it,
The Peninsula.
Korea is peninsula Of much the same
shape and size as Florida jutting out Of
eastern Asia. 1T is the nearest land TO
Japan, whose islands form rough cres-
cent nclOsing it, ON the other hand, II
lies between Siberia and the sea, forming
what would be a most desirable cOast-line
for the covetOus bear. For centuries
there was a relation of suZerainty be-
tween Korea and China. Japan long dis
puted this suZerdtnty. and in 1894 proved
her contention In the test of arms. Inc
Chlnese gateway near Seoul, at which
the kings of 1rea had Tor centuries done
ObeisanCe to China's ambassador. was
torn down and a handsome modern Etruc-
ture erected, named independence arch
A few miles from Seoul there is a cele-
brated stone tortoise. one Of the several
works or art set up IN Korea to SYMBOL
ize- Chinese dominion. 1t was held that
so long as this tortoise remained right
side up the rule of China i'm Korea would
be undisturbed. AS soon as the MOngOl-
lanS disappeared down the horizon. under
the active stimulation OF japanese bullets.
the victors went out and Topped this lg-
neous testud' II over ike a flapiack- He
now lies with his toes turned toward the
blue heavens, a humiiating witness of
the fact that the Monaghan is doing no
visible governmental business in Korea
at this writing. And what is more, the
japanese, I'm order TO prevent any mis-
understanding as to the significance OF
this bOuleversemeut. keep a soldier on
guard by his side day and night There
after Korea has been nOminally indie
pendent, but Japanese influence has been
constantly gaining dominance in all the
subtle ways that could be devised by an
AMBITIOUS and clever race, urgently I'm
need of tributary territory to accommo-
date the teeming population which over
flows Japan's narrow borders On the
other hand. Russia has met intrigue with
intrigue, and today seems willing to
meet force with force.