The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-05
JAPANESE DIRECT
AFFAIRS OF KOREA
MASTERY OF THE MIKAD0
REVEALED IN AN INSTRUMENT THE
COUNTRIES HAVE SIGNED.

Korea Agrees to Do Naught of Any
Moment without First Consulting
ana Gaining the Sanction of Adj
Nisers Whom Japan Has Named.
How japan Explains This Pretec-
tOrate Established over the Her.
init Kingdom.
Toxic, Sept. 5.-The government to-
day published the text of an agreement,
signed at Seoul on Aug. %. between
representatives of Japan and Korea.
The agreement follows:
"First-The Korean government shall
engage as financial adviser to the Ko-
rean government a japanese subject
recommended by the Japanese govern
ment, and all matters concerning
finance shall be dealt with after his
counsel has been taken.
'Second-The Korean government
shall engage as diplomatic adviser to
the Department of Foreign Affairs,
foreigner recommended by the Japan
ese government, and all important mat
ters concerning foreign relations shall
be dealt with after his counsel has been
taken.
"Third-The Korean government
shall previously consult the japanese
government in concluding treaties and
conventions with foreign powers and in
dealing with other diplomatic affairs,
such as the granting of concessions to
or the making of contracts with for
eigners."
How Japan Explains.
The Japanese government explained
the foregoing agreement to the repre-
sentative of the Associated Press as
follows:
This agreement is nothing more than
a natural and logical sequence to the
protocol of Feb. %. 1t will be remem-
bered that in this protocol the Japanese
government undertook to give advice
to the Korean government with regard
to the Improvements of administration,
which advice the latter agreed to ac-
cept with full confidence. The finan-
cial embarrassment of the Korean gov
ernment has in the past been a con-
stant source of internal trouble, and
1.-THE chief hindranoe to the development
of the foreign commerce. This serious
aspect of Korean administration ma
turally attracted the first attention of
the Japanese government.
1T will be remembered further that
in the protocol was stipulated that in
case the welfare of the imperial house
of Korea, or the territorial integrity of
Korea, was endangered by the aggres-
sion of a third power or by internal
disturbance the Japanese government
was to take the measures made requi-
site by the circumstance. This stipu-
lation makes it incumbent upon Japan
to exercise careful control respecting
Korean diplomacy. In fact the respon-
sibilities devolving upon the Japanese
government in consequence of this pro-
tocol of Feb. % can be only discharged
by possessing a consultive voice in all
important questions of foreign inter-
course and in assisting Korea to secure
trustworthy advisers to examine on
the spot questions of international con-
cern. These measures to control Ko-
rean finances and Korean foreign inter-
course do not in any way interfere with
the full operation and validity of Ko-
rea's existing treaties.
No Impediment to Enterprise.
article No. is not intended to
place an impediment on the legitimate
enterprise of foreigners in the sphere
of commerce and industry, but is cal
culated to serve as a precaution
against the conclusion of improvident
and dangerous engagements which in
the past have proved to be sources of
serious complications. such as was
shown conspicuously in the case of the
Russian lease at Yongampho.
Durham White Stevens, counselor
Of the japanese legation at Washing
ton, will be the diplomatic adviser to
the Korean government, while NJ. Me-
gaia, director of the revenue bureau
at Toxic. will be Korea's financial ad-
wiser"