Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-19
THE FATE OF KOREA
THE Cornerstone Of an Empire
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN


lNza49Al dominating power in Man
churia by stating that his country
must acquire somebody's yard because
her children are too many to play in
her own. This, in a nutshell, explains
the motive for ACKNOWLEDGMENT of ter
ritory that lies behind the ambitions of
Japan as a great world power With
in the last forty years the population
of the islands has increased from 3O,-
900, 900 to 50000,0 900. Within the next
decade the further increase at the
present annual rate will make the
Japanese nation twice as strong nu-
merically as it was at the beginning
of the half century that will end in
1919 To make room for her growing
family of children Japan has recently
fought two expensive wars, in each
of which she gained territory as we'll
as renown.
Although nominally an empire, Japan
was really an island kingdom until
she began her expansion by acquiring
the Loo Choo and Formosa. The real
corner stone of the great empire of
which the statesmen of Nippon are
dreaming, and for which they are
planning, is Korea, which lies between
the Sea of Japan and the Yellow
sea, and which is the point of a wedge
extending into the continent of Asia.
Here, after years of patient diplomacy,
VI AlANA - no el6tilllSN lhG lllutptluGI1Ct
of the Hermit Kingdom and of
clashes great and small with the Eu-
ropean and Asiatlc powers, Japan has
established a foothold. The next step
will probably be the annexation of the
country 1t is now virtually annexed
although the farce of a Korean gov
ernment is temporarily kept up by the
powers at Toxic.
Korea is more than half as large in
area as Japan with Formosa, or about
half of the size of the German empire.
In population Korea is larger than
Norway and Sweden combined. It's
civilization is 1000 years old. For many
centuries this country remained a her
nit because of the influence of it's
scholarly men, who held that Koreans,
students and dreamers, rather than
merchants like the Chinese or soldiers
like the Japanese, would fall under
the rule of aliens if Korea should open
its doors to the outside world.
The country had already become a
bone of contention between the two
leading yellow nations of the far east
when the emperor, believing that the
scholars were wrong and that the only
hope of continued national existence
lay in establishing relations with the
western powers, made treaties with
America and Great Britain, as well as
with Japan. From that time forward
Korea was a pawn in a game of world
politics until the Russian advance to-
ward the southern coast of eastern
Asia was halted by the arms of Japan
1t was then that Korea aWoke to find
herself vassal state.
At present the imperial government
of Japan maintains upon the Korean
throne a puppet emperor He is shorn
of all power over internal as well as
foreign affairs. He is practically a
prisoner in his palace He NAV not
converse with foreigner except by
permission of Japan. He must take
orders from the residency general even
in matters of dress. He will be re-
moved from the throne when it suits
the purposes of the authorities at
Toxic, who removed his father and
isolated the retired emperor in one
palace and the new emperor in an
other.
During the years that marked the
aggression of Japan in Korea the
western world, with the exception of
Russia, paid but little attention to the
march of events in a country situated
remotely from the capitals of Europe
and America. Since Japan has as
sumed charge of affairs in Korea she
has given evidence of her intention
to follow up her victories over China
her activities and the sphere of her
influence in Asia and in the Pacific
ocean. Because of this Korea, the first
civilized country to fall under the rule
of modernized and westernized Japan,
compels the attention of the world as
the theater of an example of the
methods of Japan as a conqueror and
reconstructor of weaker nations.
The question now asked throughout
the Orient is whether the Empire of
Japan, with a new form of government
as yet experimental at home, is suita-
bly, equipped to order the affairs of
another nation in such manner as to
justify possession by reconstruction
and reformation. Upon this question
foreigners in Korea differ. In Seoul,
where the experiemnt is being tried
and where the issue is as "live' as
were the issues in the south after the
civil war, Japanese rule in Korea is a
daily subject of dinner-table dis
cussion.
Outside Of Korea. where the fortunes
of the Korean nation are a matter of
less concern than they are to persons
who know "the Land of the Morning
Calm" and who naturally sympathize
with a people whose national exist
ence has been destroyed, this question
is of interest because the attitude ana
aims of Japan constitute today the
most interesting problem In tnterna-
tional politics. To the world of trade
and commerce the Korean question Is
of Importance. 1t is here, at the point
of the wedge, that "the principle OF
equal opportunities for the commerce
and industry of all nations pro-
claimed by Japan in her treaties with
foreign powers, and constituting the
fundamental keynote of her engage
ments with friendly nations, is being
put to a practical test.
Americans have especial reasons for
keeping their eyes upon the develop
ments in Korea. The United States
has sent to this country a greater
number of her nationals than have
been sent by all other white nations
combined. A common alliterative
statement of fact in Seoul is that In
mines and missionaries" America
leads. 1t may also be said that min
ing and missionary work constitute
the leading forms of endeavor under
taken by foreigners in Korea.
AS the successor of Prince Ito, Wis
count Some takes the reins of govern
ment at Seoul. That he is not OF Ito
caliber it is unnecessary to state. Dur
he was not regarded as being equipped
bv natural ability or fitted by reason
of disinterestedness and loftiness OF
n1rpose to discharge the functions or
his office during the frequent absences
of Prince Ito from Seoul.
The appointment of Viscount some
puts a new complexion upon the
Korean situation. Upcn tne mature ot
his Forthcoming administration hinges
the question of whether the portion OF
cannister'" ear and whether the "open