The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-04-06
JAPAN|S POLICY IN KOREA
Building of Railways in the
Latter Country.
BANK TO BE ESTABLISHED
Far-sishted Plans Of Japanese States.
manship--Lines for Emergency
Use viii Be Permanent--Jap-
anese Colonists Along the Lines.
Purposes Regarding Government.

What a calamity would have bcfal.
len japan had the Russians been per
mitted unmolested to push the bound.
aries of their zone of influence down
through Manchuria TO the sea on the
south and east Is made clear The
well-matured plans of Japanese states
manship, the fruit of many years of
patient thought, based on the percep-
ton that the Japanese archipelago
would not for an indefinite period af-
ford elbow-room for the Midakos sub
jects, were doomed to failure If Rus
sia were to carry out her apparent
policy of making Korea to all intents
and purposes Russian dependency.
The Korean railways are being built
and equipped with American steel.
The first of them, running between
Seul and Chemulpo, was constructed
in 1899 by an American consession-
aire, but just before completion it
was sold to a Japanese syndicate,
which has made it commercial sue
cess, and has just completed a bran III
line. begun in 1901, from Seul to the
southeasterly point of Fusan, dis
tance Of about 268 miles This branch
line, aided by modern ocean ferry,
has established quick communication
between Seul, the Korean capital, and
Japan. Under the old system of trans
portation, the journey from Toxic TO
Seul occupied seven days; now 1t Is
made in fifty-six hours. The const-uc
tion OF railway between Seul and
Wiju. the northern border city of
Korea, was begun in 1902 by the
Korean government This line has
since been taken over by the Japanese
government, which is now finishing it
under military direction. 1t will be
300 miles long. A line to connect
Seul with Gensan, the Korean eastern
treaty port, Is now being constructed.
also by Japanese military engineers.
These lines, although for emergency
use, are to be permanent, and few
trunk lines in the United States IRE
provided with a higher grade of steel
or a more substantial roadbed In
connection with the Fusan line, the
two branches referred to will connect
the northern and southern extremities
OK Korea with the east and west
coasts, besides traversing the interior
The entire railroad scheme is f.
nanced by the Japanese government.
which has not only guaranteed the
necessary capital, but subscribed ST..
245,000 on its own account, provided
oh IN H,,
certain date. The authorized cap
itel was insufficient for the purpose
OF constructing the Fusan line, and so
$4,9S0.000 was borrowed from the
banks at Toxic. The interest on this
loan has been paid, but the govern
ment has since been compelled to
come forward with $S0O,00O more
which completed the line before the
first Of last January.
japanese colonists have been scat
tered all along these Korean rail-
ways. Furthermore, three large jap
anese immigration companies are al.
ready announcing new openings for
settlers in Korea. Having been f.
nanced by Japan, these railways will
remain perpetually under Japanese
control. No further loans on them
can be made without the consent of
the Japanese minister at Seul. The
monetary system used by these rail-
ways will be Japanese, and ultimately
1t Is believed that the smaller coins
of Korea will pass out of circulation.
A central bank is to be established
at Seul to facilitate this movement.
1t is said to be the purpose of
Japan to establish a model admins
tration in one of the Korean prov.
inces. fully modern in its appliances
and policies, and calculated to devel-
op the province in the shortest time.
Should this experiment prove a sue
cess, 1t will be extended to the entire
peninsula. Should Korea express the
desire to have Japan watch over her
foreign interests, the Korean minis
ters and consuls will be recalled, the
of foreign countries at Seul
will return home, and only the foreign
consuls will remain. The Korean
army will at the same time be reduc-
ed to nominal size, and the military
system Of the country will be merged
with that of Japan.
This, in brief. is the Japanese pol.
Icy In Korea. The Russian occupation
would have overturned all this, and
Japan would have remained an island
empire, crowded to the point of suf-
location.
From the view point of the Jap |
anese, Korea is a prize worth fight.
Ing for It's possession is one of the
necessities of the Japanese situation,
even though nominal Korean gov
eminent may continue in existence.
It's control by Russia meant without
any question the rude awakening of
Japan from her dream of becoming a