The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-04
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; Poor little Korea! One hardly knows
We. -.st - - 49, --zS>- - 49, {e~, -
strangely have comedy and tragedy
been blended in her history.
Mr.. Grif1ths, in his very comprehen-
sive book bearing that title. calls Korea
the Hermit Nation, and the appellation
was a fitting one until within a genera
ton. Since that time she might be de-
scribed as a 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 pO-
sition on the map Of North America,
and Japan's relative position is some
thing like that which Cuba bears to
Florida. Separated on the south from
Japan by about a hundred miles of
water and Joining both China and Rus
STA on the north, it is not strange that
all three of these nations have looked
upon her with COvetOus eyes and be
gTudged each other any advantage OBJ
tanned. The surface OF Korea is quite
mountainous, zthe ranges and valleys
extending fer the most part from the
northeast to the southwest. Until re-
Gently the country was inaccessible and
few Of the white race have penetrated
the interior A few years ago a rail-
=
miles west of Chemulpo, the nearest
seaport. Since then the japanese have
built q road from Seoul north to Peng
Yang. and southeast to F'usan. The
last line, which has been finished less
than a year, is 2T5 miles long and con-
meets the Korean capital with the
nearest seaport to Japan This rail-
road is Of such great military impor-
lance TO Japan that she aided the
building to the extent Of guaranteeing
6 per cent interest on the investment
for fifteen years, with the provision
that the cost OF the road should not
exceed 25,OGO,O00 yen The Korean gov
eminent gave the right Of way for the
road and the free admission Of ma
teria1 imported for its construction and
equipment. The engines and cars are
Of American style and make and the
road IS standard gauge. It is now SO
easy TO pass through Korea in going
from Japan TO Picking that the tourist
should not miss its strange and inter-
esting sights; but the trip should be
made before November. We took the
train at F>usan and made the ride near
" ell the way in daylight, thus having
an opportunity to see both the coun-
try and the people. The road crossed
three rivers and the water sheds which
. separate them. making its construction
extremely difficult The mountains are
had been denuded by the natives and
the wood used for fuel. The Koreans
sometimes blame the japanese for tbs
appearance Of the country and attrib-
ute IT to the invasion 900 years ago;
an intellisent son Of Japan replied that
as his country recovered from earth
quake shocks within few years, the
Koreans should have been able to re-
move the traces Of an invasion in less
than three centuries.
The valleys are fertile. but in tillage
and In evidences of industry they dc
not approach the valleys of Japan. One
misses the orchards, the trees, the vines
and the flowers which are ever present
In 1.-THE Land Of the Rising SUM-
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