The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-20

emphasized in an agreement signed
April /, 1905, whereby, with Cores's con-
sent, Japan was to take YER and operate
the post. telegraph and telephone SER
vices in the peninsula and should be
authorized TO appropriate land and build
ings for the purpose Of extending the
said system of communications. BY the
same agreement il was provided, with
reference to arrangements previously
made by the Corean Government with
foreign Governments concerning the
post, telegraph and telephone services,
that the Japanese Government should
thereafter, in behalf of Corea. exercise
the rights and perform the obligations
incident thereto. Then followed a stip-
ulation that should there arise in the
future any necessity for concluding any
new convention between the Govern
ment of Corea and foreign Governments
concerning the communication services,
the Japanese Government should assume
the responsibility of concluding such con-
ventions in behalf Of Corea.
A protectorate in the fullest sense of
the term vas finally established by the
agreement signed on November II, 1905.
the first article Of which provided that
the Department Of Foreign Affairs at
Toxic should thereafter have control and
direction Of the external relations and
affairs Of Corea, while the diplomatic and
consular representatives of Japan should
have charge Of the subjects and interests
Of Corea in foreign countries. BY the
second article the Toxic Government
undertook to see to the execution Of the
treaties actually existing between Corea
and other Powers. and the Seoul Gov
eminent engaged 10 to perform any act
or conclude thereafter any engagement
having an international character ex-
cept through the medium Of the Govern
nnent Of Japan. 1t is obvious that both
of these articles were violated when the
Corean Emperor, without the onsen or
knowledge of Japan, authorized the de-
mand Of a Corean delegation for admis-
sion to the peace conference.
The Corean Emperor Is understood 10
plead in his defence that the agreement
Of November IL, 1905, was not binding
upon him because, although signed by
his Minister Of State for Foreign Affairs,
it bears neither his own signature nor
the imperial seal. The plea will not
bear scrutiny. None of the treaties and
agreements made between July, 1894,
and November. 1905, bears the signature
of the Corean Emperor. His consent to
each and every one of them was signi6ed
either by active compliance with their
provisions or by tacit acquiescence in
them. There is no record of his protest.
ing against the agreement Of November
II. 1905; of his Furnishing the Minister
who concluded il, or of his taking any
step inconsistent with il, until, after some
twenty months, he surreptitiously au-
thorized a delegation to proceed to The
Hague and there enter into official rela-
tons with foreign Powers.
In view OF the facts there is no doubt
that the Corean Emperor has been guilty
of a violation of treaty obligations for
which the Japanese were justified in ex-
acting an apology and an explicit recog-
milton Of the validity Of the agreement
of November II, 1905. If instead Of doing
this the Corean sovereign preferred to
abdicate in favor of a member Of his
family that is his personal affair. He
doubtless thinks that he would be better
OFF in Corea wen under the changed
circumstances than in Toxic, where he
might have been invited to remain in
honorable exile.