The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
COREE NOT FOR THE CORRANS
HERMIT NATION EXPLOITED F0R
JAPAN,S BENEFFH
Traders. Artisans, Capitalists Frsm Japan
Pearins Into Csrea-lmseresfs Of the
Cereans Disrexarded-Grcat Railroad
and Commercial Enterprises In Cerea.

Fearing Into Csrea-mseresfs % tns
CereAns DisrewArded-Grcat Railroad
and Commercial E~nterprises In Cerea'
In q speech recently delivered at che
dinner OF the American Asiatic Association
Baron Aoki, Ambassador OF Japan to the
United States. said that eastern Asia was
large enough to admit the commerce OF all
nations without friction or jealousy. He
was certain hat Japan recognized the fact
that throughout all Asia the maintenance
OF theo open door policy was as much TO her
profit a. TO that OF the Western Powers.
Other assurances coming either from
direct Japanese sources or from sources
Influenced by Japan have emphasized
the fact that in the industrial development
OF Corea, over which Japan o holds
practical ~suzerainty, the Mikado's Govern
ment will fnd itself SO occupied as to pre-
clude activity elsewhere which might b
construed a. dangerous by jealous COM
mercial Powers. In other words, IL Is an
nounced with conviction by pro-Japanese
papers In the Far East and In London that
japan cannot assume the role OF a mischief
maker so long as the Japanese Corea IL in
the making.
The work Japan is doing in the Hermit
Nation takes on the character OF a capital
operation in the surgery OF economics.
Corea, suffering from the dry rot OF ages,
has been put upon the table by the states
men at Toxic and the process Of r~emoulding
and revivifying the moribund industrial
life Of the country is being carried on with
out the use OF anesthetics.
The Japanese began TO take over Corea
with the first gun OF the war. By the exer-
else OF a right, based upon might IL on no
more pacific title. the japanese inaugurated
their political and industrial propaganda in
Corea with the landing OF the first army
OF occupation at Chemulpo.
The small trader followed close upon
the heels OF the soldier and after him came
the banker and the shipping merchant. until
all Corea wa In the hands Of the japanese
civil regime before the last Russian had
been driven across the Tuman.
Corea was all but dead, politically and
industrislly. Agriculture was what il had
been for hundreds of years-a hand to
mouth scratching Of the soil. Manufacture
meant only the laborious ginning of i'm
ported cotton by the foot press and the
carding and spinning Of Chinese wool by
home machines.
Trade comprised the paltry exports Of
ginseng from northern ports and the oc-
casional shipments Of horns and hides to
China, and it was all in the hands Of Chinese
shippers. The total record Of imports and
exports OF all Corea for a year did not
equal hat OF New York city for a month.
The whole trade system was in a primitive
stage it was man to man barter, with copper
cash paid down. With stock companies,
the movements OF stock and the rise and
fall In values the Corean was utterly I'M
familiar. Even the Chinese method Of
banking and trust business was known
by him only imperfectly.
The Japanese, bringing to this b~enighted
land the ideas OF modern ndustrialism,
found a mental attitude toward their in
novations to be expected from the Coreans'
lack Of business experience. Not only was
the white robed trader Of the peninsula oon-
tent TO continue on in the somnoIent bliss
Of old methods. but with all the energy he
could command, and that was little. He
resented the incursion OF modern forces
OF trade and finance, condemned them be-
cause they were modern and from a foreign
source, and summed them because they
were sponsored by the Japanese.
Out OF this position assumed by the
COrean toward change as change and as
being something Japanese was developed
the keynote of the whole attitude OF the
Japenese propaganda in Corea. This at
titude, as expressed by every act OF the
Japanese Government and people in Corea,
sums up thus: Corea 10 Japan's, but not
Japan. Corea shall be exploited for the
benefit exclusively Of the Japanese. The
Coreans don't count.
Thav mav Drn6t nr loaa bv Janan,. =
novations as circumstance or their own
choice dictates, but as they are hopeless,
no partnership in Progress will be joined
with them. Corea. In short, is a second
Hokkaido where Japanese may emigrate.
colonize and build their industries as in a
new land, but where the original folk OF
the land, like the hairy Anus, NAV shift
for themselves according 20 their own
lights. Corea Is 20 be rejuvenated, 10 be
made to pay the Japanese.
The Toxic Foreign Once announced in
September last that there were in Corea
at that. time $1,000 Japanese. 1t is safe
10 say that with every emigration company
in Japan having contracts for labor and
with shiploads Of small traders, artisans
and Adventures clearing for Corea each
month. that number has since been in
creased by one-half.
This flood of immigrants has swept
over the whole peninsula from Fusan 10
the falu and the Tuman. The main trav-
elled roads of these pioneers are the rail-
roads, extending now in an unbroken chain
from Fusan In the south through Seoul,
the capital, TO Wiju on the Yalu River. and
the ancient highways leading from the
ports Of Gensan. Chinnampo, Chemulpo and |
Antung bach into the interior.
The Japanese never goes beyond the
point where he can obtain his rice, dried
fish and ddikOn from home. Where he stops. |
there he builds himself a house after his
own style. hedges this about with a high
board fence TO keep out the Coreans and
periodically hoists the sun flag before his
gateway. II il is at a Corean walled town.
he builds outside the walls, away from
the dirt, laying thus the nucleus for the
Japanese town that will shortly spring up |
about his pioneer dwelling.
This picket Of the new army Of occupa- |
ton m to Corea either as a laborer, en- I
ployed In the construction work or opera |
ton OF the railroad, as a sendo or bargeman |
In the japanese settlements at the seaports. |
or a. a petty trader catering to his fellow
emigranhs or the Corean trade. He expects |
nothing OF Corean Custom, makes no con- |
oessions TO Corean susceptibilities as a bid |
for trade. treats with the Coreans only as an
inferior and conquered people.
II he be a trader. he displays in his shop a
line something like this: Flannels, cottona
and cheap woollens such as the Japanese
wear; cheap figured silks for women's wear.