The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13

on a wide floor myself. I rolled around I'M
til l was comfortably lodged fairly against
what l found out later was door to an
adjoining room. which was occupied by the
Russian minister. All this was made plain
TO me when the ceremony was announced
and his Excellency fell over me in the at
tempt to get out.
The sarcOphagus was raised TO the sum-
NIT of the high mound. which contained
the mausoleum, on an inclined plane. Be-
side this plane stood the royal marquee,
and in the doorway, as the moved slow
ly upward. stood the King and crown prince
watching its progress. The darkness of the
night, the vast crowds and flaming torches,
the long lines of soldiers and a squad of
Russian Cossacks, the corps diplomatique in
their full dress, the crowds of Korean noble
men, all united to make the occasion one
or the most singular that an Occidental
| could ever witness in the East
Little is known of the family life of the
! Emperor of Korea and his wives. In the
days of the Empress Min the Empress was
political factor of great consequence. This
is not true to-day. Nor is the marvously-
ridiculous story which had large circula-
| ton in the Northwest recently to the effect
| that Wisconsin girl is Empress of Korea.
| The story affirmed that Miss Brown, a
missionary. had been married to the Ko-
| rean Emperor. There was never mission
airy by the name of Miss Brown in Korea
and no American woman has married En-
peror vi Hung. A little piece of Seoul COS
sip short time ago was to the effect that
the King had purchased a foreigners home
| in Seoul in which to house one of his quar-
! rplSOmp of fxyp Sfn
ries, the first stone and the second of brick;
| the wife began her career by having the
second story pulled down, as it made the
house 80 high" Korean houses are all
of one story only
A POLITICAL JUMBLE. 81
The subject of the Korean Emperor's re.
lation to the wider affairs of his little en-
pire is a tangled problem which no man
can fathom. Korea has been a seething
cauldron of politics and her Emperor has
been besieged in the past decade by various
| emissaries, from various courts, some of
them with arguments that no Oriental
could withstand. After the Japan-China
war he found himself in the midst of pro-
Japanese Cabinet and soon bolted to the
Russian legation. After a year, during
which Russia secured the ascendency in
Korea, he returned to his palace. The sit
uation at the present moment is most in
teresting; Japan is again occupying Korea
| and is slowly securing political influence
| commensurate with her commercial inter-
ests. She is the only real political friend
Korea ever had. though when in control of
| Korea in 1895 she hurt her influence by adj
ministering too great doses of reform. She
| once more has the of the Emperor; her
| experience has taught her many lessons.
The foreigners american and English) feel
that the present war will bring bright days
for Korea if Japanese influence remains
paramount in Seoul; and they are certain
that his Majesty would follow out Japanese
plans for the development of Korea if he
was made sure he would have protection
against physical harm from Russian in
triguers, the claimants to the Korean
throne now exiled to Japan, and certain
| desperate Korean Statesmen" who hang
upon his skirts and threaten him when they
are baked in their money-sucking game of
| government.
Back again to the inevitable underlying
| fear which possesses the Emperor of Korea
| He has had no power. while being all
powerful. In a fgurative sense he has sat
for years, as he did between the American
| missionaries on the night or the attempted
emeute seven years ago, but when. in fear,
| he has reached out for firm hands to
support him he has found hands that were
strong, but which would not direct him or
his country to freedom and happiness.
From any standpoint Japan's occupation
of Korea now and after securing the En-
| peror's is of momentous interest. For
Korea, the events of the war will have a
tremendous significance, and no onlooker
| will be more anxious than this King upon
| whose head crown has rested forty years
as restlessly as ever crown lay on mortal
| head.
Saved from those who have lowered about
him and Slapped his strength lest it turn
against and STAY them, vi Hung might be-
come strong ruler If he has been weak
it was through lack of confidence in his
supporters. whose most puerile whims have
often been obeyed
ARCHER BUTLER HUBERT.
| copyright. 19O4.l
barns and sheds. down in the mill and UP