The copper era., 1904-02-25

be is promptly taken to the Yang bans yamen, and kept there until he pays, or else he is imprisoned on some trumped-up charge, and kept locked up until his relatives produce the re- quired amount.
 One great peculiarity Of the streets Of Seoul is that during the daytime practically DO women are 10 be seen about One occasionally sees an odd woman or the lower ciass, dressed very much as the men, but wearing her cloak over her head, holding it with her hands, SO a. to conceal :he lower part of her face. 4 About z o'clock in the evening the great bell Of Seoul tolls, which is the signal for men to retire of the streets, and gives per mission 10 the women to emerge from their scclusion. This extraordinary regulation is strictly enforced, except d. regaris blind men, foreigners, and persons going with prescriptions for the sick. Korean men, are frequently found going about with sticks. pre- tending to be blind. but such is not the rigid 5cclusion that the majority O the ladies of Seoul have never seen the streets of their city by daylight. From o'clock until twelve the streets are alive with women, most Of them attended by servants carrying lan- terms. During this time they go visit ing their friends. At T. o'clock the great bell tolls again, from which time ] they have to be indoors, and men are again at liberty to 20 out if they like. 1 The lower and middle classes of men ] that one sees about the streets are bet ] ter specimens shan these rather emas- culated Yang-bans. They are broad 7hoIldered and powerful, with small
 and shapely hands. One frequently
 sees coolics carrying enormously 1 heavy loads, and under different con- ditions Of life and a proper govern ment they would probably develop into ] as industrious, thrifty and prosperous d people as there is on earth. I have seen the result of the experiment re- gently tried Of importing Koreans to work in the sugar plantations of the Hawaiian Islands, which has been completely successful: but at home in Korea all the incentives to- ward exertIon and persevering indus try are absent, because of the eXac- tions of the host Of corrupt officials. which takes all security from the laborcr of enjoying the results of his toll.
 Korea, just slightly smaller than Great Britain, with population of about 13OOO,OO0, enjoys one of the finest and healthieat climates in the world, with an average rainfall of thirtv-six inches, which is so evenly distributed that except for rice no ar tificial irrigation is necessary. The mountains in the northern and eastern provinces are covered with vast virgin forests. Its mineral resources have been but slightly explored and very little developed, but copper is fairly plentiful, and the country has proved to be rich in iron and coal, the latter Ot most excellent quality. GOld ana silver is also being found in paying quantities, over Sl l,36O.279 worth of gold dust appearing in q recent GUS tom house report as being exported, which probably means three times that quantity actually. But with all these natural advantages, the condi- tion of the great mass of the people is most miserable. This arises from d system of government a. thoroughly rotten and corrupt as is to be found on earth. Korea seems absolutely in- capable of reforming herself from within. She must be taken in hand by some outside power. The world is becoming too crowded for a tract so fertile and so large to remain lying in corruption.