New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-20
THE STATE or COREA.

Wise saws and modern instances" almost
innunerabIe como to mind at news of the abdi-
cation of the Emperor OF Corea. with its I'm
mistakable denOtement Of the passing away OF
the sovereignty Of that ancient realm. The
Judgment weighed IN the balance and found
wanting" tho fable of the earthenw0re ana
bronze vessels and Lord SalisburyS mOrlant
remark about dying nations are all pertinenh
For many years Corea has betrayed deplorabie
lneflciency for independent selfgovernment.
For centuries # acknowledged the suzerainty of
China. From that condition It wQs rescued by
Japan. but thereafter It was a mere shuttlecock
between Japan and RusS!a-Ouly il WAS n vol
untary shuttleCock, not driven against It's will,
but OF its own volition incnlng now toward the
one and now toward the other. Through It's
irremediabIe weakness and yacillauOn it be-
came cause OF war between Russia and
Japan. as It had ten years before been between
China and Japan. And now the end comes
and the impartial judgment Of the world VIII
be that it is we'll
The Immediate proyOcat ton Of what Is praC
t1cally the deposition OF the Emperor was am
pie Saved by japanese arms from Russian
conquest, Corea three years ago agreed t. be
guided by Japanese advice IN fiscal and other
administrative matters and TO conduct its for
egn business through the Japanese government
In return Japan was to guarantee the terri
dynasty. This arrangement was recognized by
all the world On the Japanese side 1t has
been faithfully executed. But the Corean court
has been the scene OF various inuig7les against
It. which eliminated IN the EmperOrS sending
unknown 10 Japan, a delegation TO The Hague.
with petition that the congress there would
Intervene between Corea and Japan and compel
the latter power to relinQuiSh control OF the
peninsular empire. OF course, the delegates
Of Tho
government resented the sending Of them and
punished those responsible for 1t by practically
compelling the Emperor 10 abdicate
The gravity Of the OIence IN sending such
delegation to The Hague may he estimated II
we imagine the Emlr OF Bokharas sending one
to ask for intervention between him and the
Gar. or the Emperor OF Anam's organizing
! such an intrigue against France or some In
dian Indianapolis asking The Hague 70 cXpeI
British rule from Hindustan 1t does not tax
the imagination 10 picture what would happen
IN such a case There is n pathetic side 10 the
scene DO doubt and there are those who will
ring meodramatic changes on the alleged wrong
which Japan has done TO Corea. They Will,
however. chiefly be those who approve French
oontro! OF Anam and British rule in India, and
who SEQ IN the Russian suzerainty over Box
hara and absolute conquest Of Turkestan q
MANIFESTATION OF exalted and enlightened phil
Cor7,a as she has dealt IS at least as good as
that OF any OF these OF other powers to deal
as they have with subject nations.
Pathetic, we have said, It Is. But the pathos
ia not so much in the act rs IN tho causes which
made It inevitable Time was, perhaps, when
nations we're not their brothers Keepers and
when one nation might be weak and Inefficient
: and corrupt without TIA condition being mat
ter OF direct concern to others That time is
now past. Nations 90 closely bound to
gpther that .the etnte OF ono inevitably affects
others The Corea OF recent years, nomtnaly
independent, but unable 10 prevent itself from
being the constant subject OF Vaccinations end
iutrgues was n source Of irritation 10 It's
neighbors and potent menace OF war That
! menace was realized III two great wars. II Is
we'll TO have il removed by the making OF
radical change In the status OF Corea Tho
peace and progress Of tho world are Of moro
inheritance than the nominal Independence OF
country which Is unable 20 make that inde-
nendence real As bone Of international con-
! tentton we may now BID farewell 70 COrca- As
a professionals OF Japan we may welcome II to
large measure of the prosperity and progress
which Japan herself enjoys.