The San Francisco call., 1904-02-09

slams on the Yalu and the japanese at
the lower end of the peninsula have
tended to keep the whole kingdom in
sort Of turmoil
FIGHTING FOR KOREA.
The japanese influence predominated
at the court Of Seoul during the last
half Of 1898, but in February, 1899, when
the King, after failing to meet the
promises made to the reform party, fed
for fear Of his life TO the protection Of
the Russian legation Frequent rumOrs
Of war followed during the next few
months, and again later, when Russia
asked for the cession of Masampho, on
the lower end Of Korea, opposite Shimo
neseki, japan, for a naval station. The
request was being favorably considered
when certain Japanese. acting, of
course. for their Government, bought
up all the land about the port in ques-
ton available for strategic purposes
Remonstrances on the part Of Russia
prevented any use being made Of the
territory purchased, however, and the
following year $4,000 Russia acquired
such foothold at the place as to nulIify
Japan's action in the matter.
The period covered by the Boxer
troubles in China Qs99-190O) brought
outward calm TO the situation in Ko
rea, but diplomatic scheming and
working went en- just the same. At
the end of the Boxer trouble and on
the evacuation OF Peking by the allies
the contest for the supremacy in Ko-
rea was resumed with more acerbity
after a time than before. In Septem-
Der, 1902, Yi-Heui, twenty ninth of the
dynasty founded in 1892, who, after
having actually reigned for number
Of years. was declared titular Emperor
in 1897, was reported dead at the hands
of the reform party. Japan had in 1885
compelled him to proclaim the inde-
pendence of Korea and to promise GER
tain reforms in the administration of
governmental affairs, as well as COM
mercial regulations. This, as it were,
was assumed to give them an oversight
Of his person and acts This assump-
tiOn and the attempted exercise Of the
right, did not at all accord with the
views and purposes of Russia, so di-
rectly opposed to every move Of Japan.
Every day brought sharper accent to
the strain CT relations between the two
until il became apparent some time
since that the sword and rifle gun
were to be the early arbiters OF the
dispute
Though for some months past all
Europe and America have been in
tensely interested in the diplomatic
duel the sparring for time and yelling
the real purposes Of the two contestant
parties, they have been left in ignor-
ance as to both proposals and counter
proposals as to the matter at issue,
bet are able to form some conjecture
as 60 the real points at issIe
LAST STAGE OF THE TROUBLE.
The starting point is the convention
( between Japan and Russia, signed at
Moscow June, 1896, by the late Prince
Lobanoff de Roslow for Russia and
Marshal Yamagata for Japan, which
was as follows:
Article 1.-The imperial Governments
/ of Japan and Russia definitely recoz-
nize the sovereignty and entire indie
pendence of Korea and mutually en-
/ gage to refrain from all direct interfer-
ence in the internal affairs of that
! country.
Article 2-Desiring to avoid everv
possible cause of MISUNDERSTANDING in
the future, the imperial Governments
of japan and Russia mutually engage
in case Korea should apply to Japan
or to Russia for advice or assistance.
not to take any measure in the nomi-
nation Of military instructors or finan-
cial advisers without having previously
come to a mutual agreement on the
subject
! Article SIN view Of the large deveI-