Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-04-14

wafh Chama Mna Sapan--Eseasons
Tos tle WAX.
Robert X. Speer, lately q resident OF
Seoul, Korea, describes In the Worlds
Work for March the relations Of Ko-
rea with China, Japan and Russia,
also the reasons for the present war.
as follows:
Ia c0ntending against Russia for what
she regards az her just interests In Ko-
rea. Japan Il opening no new issue and
advancing no fresh claim. Centuries
before the Russian nation came into ex-
istence Japan and Korea were IN inti-
mate relationship, and the island EN-
pire regarded the neighborfng peninsu-
II a. her proper fleld Of influence. Ear-
" Iii the third century the queen Of
Japan invaded the southern kingdoms
OF Korea, subdued them and wrote on
the kings gate, THE king Or shinra d
the dog of Japan" Until the tenth cen
tury southern Korea paid tribute to ia
pan and not only paid tribute. but also
poured into Japan the tide OF Chinese
civilization Chinese philosophy. Confu-
clan morals and Chinese literature.
In the middle Of the fourteenth CEN
| fury Korea came under Chinese vassai-
age. and the present dynasty was es-
| tablished on the throne. This ended
| the old relations between southern Ko-
rea and Japan, and thenceforfh Korea
became the middle ground between Ja-
pan and China, their common place OF
meeting and conflict
1 In the six centuries which have
| elapsed since China became the suzer-
ain of Keorea there have been repeated
attempts by Japan to snbjugate the
peninsula, and she has probably never
\ lid all these years abandoned the de-
Sign biz detnching the kingdom from
China and attaching IL to herself. The
war with China WIS no accident or
| avoidable struggle, but step prepared
for and contemplated for centuries and
never lost sight OF in all the changes
through which Japan has passed to-
ward il continental enlargement OF her
empire
/ When Japan had passed through her
political transformation the Korean
government was summoned to resume
ancient friendship and vassaiage. An
insolent reply was sent to Japan. The
nation was not yet ready for action,
and the insult was pocketed. though
the restoration OF superior relations to
Korea was thenceforfh more distinctly
than eyer the KOHi OF Japanese foreign
| policy. Lin 1876 an unwarranted attack
Oh some Japanese soldiers led to the In.
vasion of the peninsula. There was no
I war, however China advised the king
10 accept the first or the alternatives
/ Japan offered "a treaty of commerce 81
war. Korea chose az China advised.
Three ports were opened, and both by
1 China and by Japan Korea was de.
| cIared free and Independent
Lii 1884 there came another clash be.
| tween the liberal and conservative fac
lions, which ended In the triumph Of
stagnancy, but q recognition on the
part Of both China and japan Of equal
i interests and right to intervene.
II When the Tong Hak resurrection
threw Korea into disorder In 1894
both countries sent troops, China noti.
| tying japan as she did 80 that Korea
was her tributary state and Japan 70
her reply challenging China's claim
This was the real issue at stake ii
the ChinosJapanese war which en-
| SIZED. japan had never abandoned the