The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-03-06

-
N- Geographical Position Resembles
That of Florida-Trayersed by
Modern Railroad4-korcan Men
Larger Than JaDancSc-Wcar Long
White Cotton Coats and White
Trousers With Red. Blue or Green
vests - Mourning a Permanent
OccupatiOn-Mcn's Hats Tied Oh
With Strings Under the Chin--Un-
married Men Distinguished by Pig
tail~''-Strect Scenes in Scout
-Gencral and Deep Rooted Con
tempt for IabOr-Ikoreans Lack
Power OF Organized Co-ODeralion-
~hoppin" IL Vcritablc Warfare Over
PliCcs-Mr Bryan's Amusing Ex-
pcriencc-Hc Witnesses Il Korean
NCdding-Y. NJ. C. \. Building
for seoul Provided by John Wana-
nlaIlcr-Niissionary Work Flourish
.ng-GOVcrnmcnt Very Corrupt
Sixty Changes in EmDerOr's Cab
met Within Il Ycar-,JaDanese Dis
trusted by korcans--Japan Di
lcnIna.
lCupyWright. 1906, by Joseph 3.
BoWIes-COpyrigh in Great
Brtan-All Rights Reserved.
Poor little Korea, one hardly knows
whether to be amused or grieved, SO
strangely have comedy and tragedy
been blended in her history.
Mr. Ctriffiths in his very compre
hensiNe book bearing that title, calls
Korea the Hermit Nation, and the
uprelIation was a fitting one until
vlJhu d generation. since that time
she might be described as q bone Of
contention, for she has been the cause
OF several bloody quarrels.
The position of Korea on the map
of Asia very much resembles Florida, s
position on the map of North America
and Japan'S relative position is some
thing like that which Cuba bears ID
Florida Separated on the south from
Japan by about a hundred miles of
water and joining both China and
Russia on the north. it is not strange
that all three of these nations have
looked upon her with covetous eyes
and begrudged each other any ad-
N30tages obtained. The surface OF
Korea is quite mountainous, the ranges
and valleys extending for the most
part from the northeast to the south
west. Until recently the country was
inaccessible and few of the white race
have penetrated the INTERIOR A few
years ago a railroad was built from
Seoul 35 miles west of ChemulpO, the
nearest seaport. Since then the Jap
"nese have butt u road from Seoul
north to Peng Yang, and southeast
to Fusan. The last line, which has
been finished less than q year, is 27o
miles long and connects the Korean
oauitaI with the nearest seaport to Ja-
pan. This railroad is of such great
military Importance to Japan that She
aided the building to the extent of
thn Investment for Is years with the
provision that the cost of the road
should not exceed %, 900, ,000 yen. The
Korean government gave the r1glt
ut way for the road and the free ad-
mission of material imported for its
construction and equipment The ell
e}ncS and cars are of American StylH
and make and the road is standard
gauge. It is now SO easy to pass
through Korea in going from Japan to
Pnking that the tourist should not miss
it's strange and interesting sights. but
The trip should be made before NoVem-
ber. We took the train at Fusan and
made the ride nearly all the way in
daylight, thus having an opportunity
'n St" both the country and the people.
7 h,. road crosses three rivers and the
Water sheds which separate them,
making its construction extremely dill
frUt. The mountains are bare, and
We We're informed that they had been
douuded bv the natives and the wood
used for fuel The Koreans sometimes
blame the Japanese for the appear
anCo of the country and attribute it TO
the invasion 800 years ago; an intelll-
gent son of Japan replied that as his
country recovered from earthquake
shocks within a few years, the ko-
lcanS should have been able to remove
the traces of an invasion in less than
three centuries.
The valleys are fertile. but in tillage
ana in evidences of industry they do
not approach the valleys of Japan.
One misses the orchards, the trees,
tho vines and the flowers which are
over present in The Land of the Itis-
ing Sun"
Rice is the principal crop in the
south, while barley and wheat are
more cultivated in the north. Beans
and peas are also raised in large guam
titles and last year constituted the
chief article of export. Rice while
often the largest export, fell below
beans and peas that year and was
r}Osly followed by hides ana ginseng.
There are some gold mines, and the
export of this ore amounted to nearly
$50 .O0e last year. buI the country has
been so isolated that its mineral wealth
has not been eNhaustivcly explored.
The population of Korea is var-
"usIy estimated at from S,000,000 TO
13,000,000. The men are larger than
the Japanese. and somewhat lighter in
color, but not so alert. Like the Jap
aHcSe they have rather scanty beard
hut it seems to be more fashionable
for the older men to allow tLeir chin
Whislfers to grow. In dress the Korean
man is unique. He wears Il long Whit
coat of thin cotton reaching to the
Knees, With trousers generally @
White, very full in the seat and tfet
3round the ankles. The vest is Of red
blue or green if he is not in mourning
iut mourning seems to be q perma
uCnt occupation i'll Korea. 1t was eX