Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16

Asia's A familiar dictum says
that the 'Orient IS coun-
Yankees. try of the unexpected.
Americans since the days of
Perry have treated the japanese with some
degree of paternai pride and have familiar
Iy referred to them as the Yankees of the
east"
The japanese have been made acquainted
with Christs golden rule. DO unto others
as you would they should do unto you. The
writer nevertheless wagers sen against a
yen that our quondam wards, the Japa nese,
interpret that rule in politics as in trade
after the manner of David Harum. DO
unto the other feller the way he'd like TO
do unto you. an 60 It fust.'
Korea has been tie unconscious and ir-
responsible incendiary in this oriental con-
Hagration-the end of which is not yet In
1873 inspired by the success attending the
negotiations with Japan, the United states
government sent Admiral Shufelut OF the
navy to make commercial treaty WIN
Korea. Unfortunately the sybordInateS OF
the State Department unacguainted with
oriental etiquette. addressed the communi-
cation without the usual respectful prehx'
thus ITO the King of Korea
The governor OF Fusan quickly returned
the dispatch to the American admiral with
the remark that there was no such person
as the King of Korea. but that Their SOW
ereign was entitled Tai-Choser -Tai-l\unr
Chu or His Majesty the Great King OF
Great Chosen, Chosen, for a fact. ana not
Korea. being the name by which the coun-
try is known to the people.
Admiral Shufeidt's mission. therefore, was
in vain. He was subjected to insult and
treated a barbarian from the western
ocean. The Ticonderoga steamed ont OF
the harbor of Fusan, followed by mock
salute and the jeers of the throng that
| lined the walls of the fortress.
The treaty was finally con-
Aofean summated in 1882 at Inchon
| Trastv by the American admiral.
but mainly through the
intervention of Ii Hung Chang. who. al
| though friendly to the United States,
was not adverse to getting even thereby
| with Japan, who had been first to make a
treaty with Korea. The year 1882 is known
| in Korea as the year of the treaties -
! treaties which were made with Russia,
England, Germany, France and Italy in
turn.
An American writer, returning from
Korea prior to the occupation of that coun-
| try by the japanese, says
Poor Korea, A sad day has come for
you'll You who were so attractive because
so quaint and so retiring will nevermore see
| that calm which has ever been the yearn-
| ing of your sons. Many evils are now be-
| fore YOU but of all the great calamites
| that might befal you l can conceive OF
none greater than an attempt to convert
| you into a civilized nation!
| The writer was consul general and secre-
| rotary of legation in Korea from 1887 to
| 1889, a post, which was unsolicited but
| which President Cleveland urged him to ac-
cept Mr. Blaine was Secretary when, nav
| ing resigned his post he returned to WASH
| ington December. 1854. Mir. Blaine anxious
| to know something of the situation in the
| far east. received the writer by appointment
| at the State Department The writer de-
| clared that the action of the department in
| taking Korea from the authority of China
| whose rights of suzerainty were indisputa-
| nj M
| well bad faith and bad policy.
| Did the department follow with interest
what had occurred in Korea? 1t appeared
| to the writer rather that certain employees
| of the department had been perIuitted in
| their personal interests to commit the gov
! eminent TO action aVerse TO its proper in
| terests.
For a fact, the United
AS''Aa States government was being
Catspaw used as catspaw by Rus
sa anxious only that we
| should keep the place in Korea warm until
! on the completion of the Trans-Siberian
| railway, she could take the place herself
The appointment of an American foreign
| adviser to King Ii, at the suggestion of
! the Russian charge d'afaires; the employ
ment of three American military instructors
| for the Korean army, and the promise of
| gold mining concessions were iliuSory bene-
| fits and poor quid pro quo for the conse-
! quent sacrifice of our friendly relations and
| commercial interests in China. Korean trade
was a delusion, a legation useless and
| compromising office which might be profit
| ably replaced by a commercial agency
which could develop a commercial interest
! If possible, and in any event avoid awaken
! ing jealousies and ambitions which would
lead to trouble.
| The writer would not return to Korea
| certainly not so long the suzerainty of
| China over Korea was denied. He felt that
| this was the only amende honorable to the
| wounded pride of the government at Pekn
Nor was such arrangement impossible
| The Korean minister plenipotentiary to the
! capitals of Europe had been held up in
| Hongkong for want of funds and was
finally returned to Korea. Also PAX
| Pansa, the minister accredited at Wash
| 1ngton, had been returned on the protest of
! Mr.. Yuan Sic Kwai, now Gen. Yuan Sic
| kwai. viceroy, because PAX had introduced
| officially as his wives to Washington So
| ciety number of Khisang dancing girls
! all against the laws of Chosen and the
peace and dignity of His Majesty Lii Mr.
| PAX and his Khisang were hastily packed
! up and hurried back to Korea where he
! eXpiated his diplomatic venture by resi-
| dence, as a mark of degradation, outside
| the south gate of Seoul.
Restitution to China under these circum-
| stances was possible. Had Mr.. Blaine been
/ President it would have been done Had
! 1t have been thus the Chino-Japanese war
| would have been averted. Likewise the
| present Russo Japanese conflict which has
/ SO far resulted in the evolution OF a new
Japan and the pending probability that
henceforth She is to be the arbiter OF the
destiny of the orient and that Asia is for
| the ASiatics.
CHARLES CHAILLE-LONG,
EX-United States consul general to Korea.