The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-06
THE KOREAN EMPEROR'S
YANKEE ADVISOR
Dr. Horace NJ Allen, Americas Representative at the
Court in Seou1 and the Emperor's
Right Hand Man.
BY ARCHER BUTLER HUBERT,
Formerly Editor of the Korean Independent.

better than hot wax, and he hustled
Allen off to treat twenty of his SOL
diers who were sadly cut up and
bleeding The Prince lived; the pop
ular approval of the people protected
the doctor and his wife, and they
stayed in the legation as they had
announced they would, with the old
flag flying, until their American
friends returned to Seoul after the
dangers had passed.
After this there was no question of
the American Doctors place in Korea
1t was assured. Nothing proved this
so plainly as the attention the King
of Korea now paid DR.. Allen by APP
pointing him the Kings physician.
Old as some of the Korean remedies
were, they seemed to leave something
to be desired. The knife and needle
were better than hot wax; quinine was
better for fever than the hanging of
rags on the trees outside of the in
valid's house; pepsin was better for
Indigestion than burning a prayer that
had been written on paper; the Ko-
rean doctor who had a stone which,
placed upon patients body, enabled
it's owner to see into the body and To-
cate the disease, often made sad mis-
takes.
Won the Kings Confidence.
There had been a Korean hospital
for 400 years In Seoul in which 1000
doctors were supported at government
expense. In its place, at the Kings
order, an American hospital was
erected, called Hay Min So-the
House of Civilized Virtue''-and DIR.
Allen was put in charge. Within "a
year half a dozen operations were per-
formed in the House of Civilized Vir-
tue every morning, and nearly a hun
dred dispensary patients came for
treatment every afternoon. This was
the first institution OF Western civ
ilization ever established in Korea.
DR.. Aliens experience with Koreans
and the confidence they had in him led
him quickly into a position of promi-
hence. In 1888 the first Korean en-
bassy was sent to the United States,
causing a great sensation In Korea
and a wave of good-humored well
come in America to the strange visi-
tors. 1t was delicate matter to en-
gineer. and it was to DR.. Allen that
the Korean King turned to put it
through. Under an appointment as
Foreign Secretary" DR.. Allen took
the odd-looking party across the sea
and presented them to the President
and safely located them in Washing
ton.
The establishment of the embassy
was. indeed, due to Mr.. Aliens infiu-
ence with the King. The United
States brought a claim against China
for the destruction by Koreans of an
American ship: the Chinese govern
ment answered that it had no author
ity. over Korea, that Korea was an in
dependent power. and America should
demand indemnity of Korea.
The United States did so. and when
the note reached the King, he straight
way sent for DR.. Allen and asked him
what it all meant.
Urged Korea's Independence.
The American at once saw that here
was a splendid chance for Korea to
show her independence Of China, since
China herself acknowledged it in her
reply; he urged the King to show that
his country was really independent by
sending representatives to the Powers
and establishing embassies. He
pressed the point so earnestly that at
last the King consented, and then
straightway selected his Yankee adj
visor to establish the embassy in
America.
After the Korean embassy was es-
tablished-the Doctors appointment
expiring thereby-Dr. and Mrs. Allen
returned to Chemulpo under an APP
pointment from the Presbyterian
DOdIu Vi nllSSlOHS. III the same TAIL
he was offered and accepted the sec
retaryship of the American legation.
In 1893 DIR. Allen represented Korea
at the Columbian Exposition; in that
year also he was requested by Presi-
dent Cleveland to return to Seoul as
charge d'affaires. In 1897 he was
made resident minister and consul
general by President Mckinley, and
in 1901 was appointed envoy extra
nd mi rIo
Through all these years in which
Korea has been the storm center of
the East, Aliens tall figure and long
strides have been familiar on the
streets of Seoul. His long experience
has fitted him for the work of keep
ing a cool and clear head at times
when everything seems unsteady. He
has been strong on three counts.
Introduced American Industries.
He has made possible in Korea
works of American promotion which
European capitalists sought but could
mot get; the first mining and railroad
concessions in Korea were obtained
for Americans after others had been
refused them, because no Korean be-
lieved that Americans would make po-
litical capital out of any commercial
advantages which might be given
them.
Again, Mr.. Allen mas nad SYM
pathy for the missionary interests
which has been exceedingly helpful;
were il not for him IL would perhaps
be impossible for American mission
airy societies TO point, as they do, TO
Korea as the most fruitful field. COM
paratively speaking, ever opened up
In any foreign land. Rev. DR.. Arthur
]. Brown of the Presbyterian Mis-
sionary Society, after a recent tour IN
Asia, affirmed to President Roosevelt
that Minister Allen was one of the
best American ambassadors IN Asia:
his inquiry among the missionaries
IN Korea having strengthened him In
this belief
Finally AIR. Allen has kept Ameri-
cas- skirt clear OF all the tangle OF
intrigue which has been weaving IN
Seoul since the murder Of the Korean
Queen In 1895 Yet, IN doing this,
Mr. Allen has not sacrificed Amer
lean interests al any point the repre-
sentative 81 no nation in Korea has a
more united and sympathetic backing
from his fellow countrymen than
me American representative has IA