The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1904-06-11
KOREA THE WAR PRIZE.
OCCUPIES STRONGEST sT7ATl.
GIG POINT IN TIE ORIENT.


Covet. -.
|. J. Sloat Fassett, of New York who
aas personally studied the Korean
problem upon the SPOT. and who has
met the Emperor and Crow. !E.nee o.
The Hermit Nation gives in the Re
view of Reviews an interesting pie
ture of the possible seat of the next
war
First as to direct American inter
asts. The citizens Of the United
States are more largely involved in
Korean enterprise than even those OF
Japan. Americans CONSTRUCTED 2:-d
sold to the Japanese tie C1eElJpo-
Seoul railroad. Americans construct
ed for the Korean government the
electric railway in Seoul and some is
Or 20 miles of suburban roads. Amer
leans have also CONSTRUCTED LIGHTING
plants for Seoul and arc investing N
a water system for tie capital. Amer
leans import into Korea imm9ns2
quantities Of kerosene oil, o. canned
goods and of cotton cloth. Americans
own. in association with English and
French capitalists. tbs. largest single
enterprise III Korea, and one OF tho
largest in Asia-a mining concession
in the northern part Of Korea.
Korea is not large cGuntry, about
the size CT the state OF Kansas ana
twice the size Of New York state. Its
Importance is due to its position, is
climate ana the swarLing millions OF
its people considered as possible Gus
toners for cheap goods.
Roughly speaking" says Mr.. Fas
set, Korea il from nCrtA 10 south t9L
miles hong. and from east to west it
has an average width OF l3o miles. Ihe
population is estimated as low as 8,
000,000 and as high as 16,o0e,e"o. II
is probable that 100000 is about TIC
proper number.
1.-The rSrallels of latitude that would
pass through the cities Of San Francis
20, Chicago, New York. Lisbon, Rome
Constantinople and Picking would pas
through the peninsula of Korea. I he
capital, Seoul. a city of little Owe:
100000 Inhabitants, is located II about
the geographical centre Of the coun
try, and almost exactly west, CT cast
of New York. Korea was long known
and is yet known.to its Inhabitants, c:
Chosen. and is fancifullv called By
them The Land of the Morning Quiet
ness or The Land of the Morning
Calm
The soil OF Korea is fertile and wei,
titled The people raise rice, barley
toes. turnips, cabbages. radishes. tc
bacco, cotton, apples, pears and SINAI
fruits.
''As early as three centuries ago The
Koreans had made great progress il
the arts They built ships two hun
dred feet long, and covered them witt
plates of iron. the iron being ham
nered into small plates ana fastened
by small spikes driven irto the wood
They made woven fabrics and were
very skilful in metal work. in tho fash
ioning of Jewels ard il the n1anufac
ture Of pottery. Three centuries aeI
Japan overraD the country, and deyas
tated it, transferred whole colonies O
artisans 10 Japan. .and broke dowr
forever the military power OF Korea
"The people of Korea may lie dc
scribed generally as robust, amiablc
industrious, pleasurelovinG and g.yci
rather to the arts OF peace than the ar
doris Of war. The universal costume
is cotton cloth: bleachcd ard un
bleached. In winter this is padded
with short, staple cotton. Their head
gear is remarkably varied in form
They have different form O.
different kind Of hat for almOs
every station in life All the unmar
ried men in Korea are called boys anc
wear their hair in braidS down theil
backs. Marriage may take place a
any age, from II upward, and when I
boy is married he is a man. The WON
man may have one wife. and her chill
dren are his legitimate heirs, but { !
Korean may have as many concubine!
as he may have the ability or the dis
position to support
The government of Korea is a crUe |
joke. In 1897. after the close OF thu
Chinese and Japanese war OF 1S9t-95 !
the Korean king assumed the title q |
EMPEROR to prove that he stood OF
the same basis as the ruler o. Russia |
the ruler of China, and the ruler o
Japan. His ruls is absolute. Torturl
is permitted IN legal proceedings /
There is practically no army, tn,
1000 men so called being little nor,
than a mob, who pillage for thei
pay. Korea vas the cause Of tn.
China-Japan war nine years ago. /
THE ideal solution OF. the eastern
question, as at present it manifests it !
SELF" Mr.. Fassett remarks, would b,
to put Korea in commission, with he.
integrity and independence guaran
teed by the great powers" But tn,
ideal solution is seldom the solution
Of stern fact.
Maple Sugar Trade.
ImnrOvements arc ren,Iirnd tn Mo r, !