The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-08-07
JUSTIFY|NG
HER COURSE
japanese Statement OF the
Reform in Korea" in
Very Late Past.
By Associates Press.

Washington, Aug. 6-The Far East
ern mails just arrived contained
pamphlet issued from the Japanese
resident general Of Korea, entitled
Administrative Reforms in Korea,
designed to vindicate the work OF the
japanese In the Hermit kingdom IN
der the authority conferred by the
Japanese-Korea agreement Of 1904,
whereby Japan was constituted adVl-
Sor to Korea The document treats
of the financial difficulties that con-
fronted Marquis Ito at the offset
owing to the inadequacy Of the ko-
rean eXchequer to bear the cost OF
reform. He succeeded in raising
lean from the Japanese Industrial
Bank of 10000, 900 yen, guaranteed by
the customs receipts, bearing interest
at 1-2 per cent. and sold at SO per
100 yen. The money realized was
distributed in the reconstruction or
roads, in building waterworks, esJaD-
fishing an educational system, the Gre
alton of banks, and erection OF hos
pitfalls. It is said that the Korean
roads were totally unfit for horse and
carriage travel, SO, that it became ne
cessary to allot 1880, 900 ven in Jay
ing out four great roads to traverse
the regions of best promise and con
meet the best harbors and railway
centerS. Even Chemulpo was unable
to supply ships with drinking water
and the inland towns were In seri-
Gus danger of epidemics.
Prior to the residency, the. = was
in vogue a Confucian educational
method whereby a village dominic"
called about him the children of the
neighboFhood and taught them the
rudiments of reading and writing.
There we're 10000 of these institu-
tons and at Seoul an institution Of
higher Confucian learning. A prin-
airy school ordnance promulgated in
1905 was a dead letter, and the mid
die grade schools in Seoul, with the
exception of one in foreign languages,
existed in name only. An entirely
new system has been esta blished, first
importance being given to dissemina-
ton of common education under Jap
aneSe instructors. The existing hos
pitfalls, defective in management and
limited in accommodation and equip
ment, have been consolidated into the
Great Korean Hospital.
The police department, which had
really been in triplicate, has been
unified.
OF the remarkable attempt at puri-
f1cation of the imperial court. the PAM
phlet, after painting striking picture
Of the corruption and chicanery and
sloth that existed, describes the re-
form measures adopted. and says: I'm
court circles there were no doubt some
who at first felt alarmed at this radi-
Fcal turn of affairs. but the sterling
sincerity of the resident generals sol
icitude becoming gradually better
known the force of resentment has
since slackened until no voice is now
heard in active opposition"
THE way in which justice has been
administered in Korea" it Is stated,
'1s too revolving to all sense of de-
cency to be told in detail"
1t is charged that the country has
not yet attained that stage when the
executive and judicial branch are in
dependent, so that the administration
of justice is regarded as a privilege
to be framed out; bribery is general:
innocent people are convicted and
their property confiscated, and the
guilty liberated All of this, says
the pamphlet, is being reformed by
the Japanese. The work of reform
ing the currency system has pro-
crossed, the gold standard being
adopted and private coinage prohib-
tied, while the circulation of notes
has been encouraged and a new rev.
enue system adopted. In conclusion,
the pamphlet says the Japanese have
provided the Koreans with a code of
laws; among other things safeguard
ing the transfer of real estate, for
merly without any protection; regu-
lating the development of native
mines; providing for the protection of
immigrants, and encouraging the de-
velopment of productive industries.