Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-11-01
Graft as ,Practiced in Korea.

try mas given newspaper reduerS the
idea that the American species OF
frenzied finance is about the limit, but
it appears that our country is badly
beaten by Korea, that ancient and un-
happy little empire which is about TO
be wiped off the map. That famous
traveller and author, George KEENAN,
gives us, in the Outlook, a delightfully."-
instructive glimpse into the art OF gov
ernment as practiced in Korea. he
shows how that kingdom long ago; per-
fected the mechanism Of taxation ana
advanced the art Of grating to poih'
beside which the efforts of Tamrha"S
noliticians and insurance financiers ap
pear clumsy and barbarous. oi'''s
something more scientifically deVeiopou
10 revealed in the New York insurance
;nyost;pation. the managers OF the o'e
insurance companies will run '"e
of nublic condemnation as COARSE JUN
Cling workmen.
,n,n sbows that the sums set
,nsrt for the Emperor reach sl''ol'-
50. in q wear, while the appropriation
- ,h,ic works was s424; for public
schools, s27,71s, and for suppressins
robbers. $500. The pension bureau Is
,;,,t,iued at a cost of $4,000. and it
GRANTS nensions to the amount of
81 956. The mining bureau costs $l0,-
nm and has no mines to superintend.
The Korean navy, consisting of a
diminutive and wheezy gunboat. costs
s45O 600 Ier annum. The army costs
3. 1sO. 900 a year, and it's soldiers are
given the privilege of voting whether
or not they shall obey orders-a long
step forward in the cause of individual
liberty. When the governor or
province protested against burglary on
the part of the soldiers they promptly
silenced him by threatening to disband
and leave the country without protec-
ton. Some of the palace officiais are
forced to exc out their small earnings
by twice selling the same pieces ol
land, by privately disposlng OF govern
mont concessions. and by counterfeit
ing. cabinet ministers are allowed
to borrow the dies from the Imperial
mint and coin nickels for their own use
to an indefinite amount.
Sometimes an incorrigible Korean is
found who refuses to part with MS
money There are such mossbacks In
all countries. The Korean ofnclals
prefer to bring him to terms by CIVIL
lied methods, but if they cannot, his
contumacy is punished by the seizure OF
his goods and Imprisonment OF his per-
son. A better method is described by
Mr. Kennan. One of the Emperor's
ministers was induced to bestow
upon rich man. the
tinancier in charge of the matter went
to the rich man and said: Il am de-
lighted to be the bearer of good news
and a reward of merit. His majesty
the Emperor has graciously designed
to bestow upon you the decoration OF
the second class of the Order of the
Plum Blossom. The expense will be
5000" The Korean protested vigor-
ously that he was not worthy of such
a high honor. He was accordingly
charged with Iese majestic and kept in
prison until he had converted his for
tune into cash and paid for the honor.
The bureau of decorations. which has
jurisdiction over these delicate matters.
is maintained at a cost of s19.500.
Obviously, there is much to learn
from the Orient. The grafters of the
United States, enthusiastic as they
seem to be. are hopelessly archaic in
their methods. They should blush for
shame and modification The short
article by Mr.. kennan opens up an en-
tirely new field to the enterprising and
ambitious American.