Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-30


IlYeN MI opinions may differ as to the
| lA val value of the net results OF
lkSA MI Prince Ito's administration or
iG VII affairs in Korea in the capa-
IE2N8aRlI city of resident general no
one can deny that he was
pre- eminently the man for the place.
That he did as much as could be done
by a man in his peculiarly trying po-
sition is beyond dispute. All foreign
ers in Korea are unit in indorsing
his conduct as an official and an m
diVidual. During his tern of ottlce
practically all Koreans felt that their
one hope lay in Prince Ito's breadth
of mind, his sincerity of purpose and
his ability to grasp the fact that the
outside world is beginning to look
with an inquiring eye upon Japan
experiment in empire building in ko-
rea, and to demand of the Japanese
certain measure of temperatures
and repression in their efforts to quell
the Koreans. Prince Ito retired Wept
by Koreans and hOnored and sung by
them and other nationals in Seoul
with the exception of Japanese or the
military party.
That Prince Ito is well liked by the
people whose destinieS he mad III
charge as resident general Is a ire
mendous tribute to the statesman ana
the man when one reflects upon the
circumstances in which he undertook
his task. AS Marquis Ito, ne ar
rived in Seoul Just after the battle
of Chemulpo-at the beginning OF the
Russo Japanese War-as specIo1
messenger of the Mikado. He was
charged with the duty of delivering 70
the emperor the personal assurance OF
His Imperial Majesty that Japan
would regard in the letter and splH,
the treaty just entered into guaran-,
teeing the independence OF Korea anu
the "repose and peace of the royal
MnTnT11C
came to Seoul as the special envoy OF
the Milzado bearing letter demand
ing that the foreign relations of ho-
rea should be placed in the hands OF
Japan and that the Korean dlplo-
matte service be abolished
When he had enforced this demand
by intimidating he Korean minister's
although he did not secure the en-
perors signature, the sentiment OF the
people was voiced by vernaculat
newspaper which lamented that the
confidence of Koreans in MARQUIS Ito
had been misplaced and added, pa.
thetically, that it was no longer worth
while for Koreans to live since our
people have become slaves and. Ine
spirit of a nation that has stood 4OO0
years has perished in single tlgLt,
1t was Marquis Itos hand tnat
struck the final blow at Korean in
dependence when, in 1907, the en-
peror was forced to abdicate. Ito was
then made a prince. Notwithstand-
ing all of this, the confidence OF the
ue0pIe rested in Prince Ito because 1t
was felt that in discharging his con-
Trajectory missions in Seoul he merely
represented the iron will of the I'M
perial government, and that at heart
lie sympathized. with the nation whose
existence it became his mission TO de-
stroy. A.. -,
itary party and the country that
Prince Ito was highly regarded by
Koreans. However heartily they ana
foreigners agreed that the policy OF
exploitation entered upon by the Jap
anese was at fault, they agreed as
heartily that as long as Prince ITO
remained resident general he would
exert himself to dull the edge of racial
hatred between the incoming Japan
ese settlers and the natives and would
stand between the people and the
petty abuses which the ruffian element
among the invaders has sought to IN
fict upon the Koreans He could not
be expected to prevent his country
from putting Korea literally IN debt
to Japan to carry out the many pro.
iected reforms that are to westernize
1.-THE Land of the Morning Calm,' or
to stand in the way of the annexation
which 1t is believed will follow when
the fiscal condition of the protectorate
can be shown to warrant it. But he
could, and would, occasionally mete
out punishment to such Japanese as
made the daily life of the Koreans
burden.
AS straws showing which way the
wind blew at the residency general
under Prince Ito, numberless acts or
courtesy or kindness upon his part to-
ward natives and of fairness toward
others are cited. If his administra-
tion in its entirety did not brand him
a Lord Cromer-nothing pleases his
excellency so much as to hear him
self compared by his admirers to
Cromer-his action in forcing regi-
ment to rebuild a school house which
was wrecked by a squad of soldiers
because a number of Korean boys did
not clear the highway upon their ap-
proach. did suggest that he had the
sentiment of General Gage.
AS an example Of Resident General
Ito's fairness-aside from his decision
in the famous "Kapisan" mining case,
which well-nigh caused mutiny at his
official headuuarters-there might be
mentioned his handling of a case
where a military officer was at fault;
An officer of inferior rank appeared at
the compound gate Of an american