Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-24
THE FATE
OF KOREA
1.-The Corner
Stone Of an
Empire.
By
Frederic
J. Haskin.


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 territory
that lies behind the ambitions of Japan
as a great world power. Within the last
, 40 years the population of the islands has
increased from 100000 to 50,0Oo,OOO.
Within the next decade the further in
crease at the present annual rate Will
make the Japanese nation twice as
strong numerically as it was at the be-
ginning of the half century that will end
in 1919. TO make room for her growing
family of children Japan mas recently
fought two expensive wars in each or
which she gained territory as well as re-
nown.
Although nominally an empire, Japan
was really an island kingdom until she
began her expansion by acquiring the
Loo Choo and Formosa. Tne real corner
stone of the great empire of which the
statesmen of Nippon are dreaming, ana
for which they are planning, is Korea
which lies between the sea of Japan anG
the Yellow Sea and which is the point al
a wedge extending into the continent OF
Asia. Here, after years of patient d.
plomacy. of intrigue against the inde-
pendence of the Hermit Kingdom" and
OIL CRASHES great ana sinai WIN eHS -
ropean and Asiatic powers, Japan has es-
tablished a foothold. The next step will
probably be the annexation Of the coun-
try It is now virtually annexed, al
though the farce of Korean govern
ment is temporarily kept up by the pow
ers at Tokyo.
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 Nor
way and Sweden combined. Its civiliza-
ton is 1900 years old For many centu-
ries this country remained hermit be-
cause of the influence of It's scholarly
men who held that Koreans, students
and dreamers rather than merchants ike
the Chinese or soldiers like the Japanese,
would fall under the rule of aliens If
Koreans should open its doors to the
outside world.
ihe country had already become a bone
or 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 es-
tablishing relations with the western
powers, made treaties with America and
Great Britain as we'll as with Japan.
From that time forward Korea was a
pawn in a game of world politics until
the Russian advance toward the south
ern coast of Eastern Asia was halted by
the arms of Japan. 1t was then that
Korea awoke to find herself a vassal
state.
At present the imperial government Of
Japan maintains upon the Korean throne
a puppet emperor. He is shorn of all pow
er over internal as well as foreign at
fairs. He is practically prisoner in his
palace. He may not converse with for
eigner except by permission of Japan.
He must take orders from the residency
general even in matters of dress. He will
be removed from the throne when it
suits the purposes of the authorities at
Tokyo who removed his father and iso-
lated the retired emperor in one palace
and the new emperor in another.
During the years that marked the ag
erosion 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 assured charge of affairs 10
Korea she has given evidence Of her in
tention to follow up her victories over
China and Russia by enlarging the scope
of 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 theatre of an example Of the methods
of Japan as q 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 suitably equipp-
ed 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 experiment is being
tried and where the issue is as Tive" as
were the issues in the south after the
civil war, Japanese rule in Korea is
daily subject of dinner-table discussion.
Outside of Korea. where the fortunes
of the Korean nation are a matter of
less concern than they are to persons who
know 1.-The Land of the Morning Calm"
and who naturally sympathize with q
people whose national existence has been
destroyed this question is of interest
because the attitude and aims of Japan
institute today the most interesting prob
lem In international pOlltlCS- 4 - tic WOIlO
of trade and commerce the Korean ques-
ton 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" proclaimed
by Japan in her treaties with foreign
powers, and constituting the fundamental
keynote Of her engagements with friendly
nations, is being put to practical test.
Americans have especial reasons for
keeping their eyes upon the developments
in Korea The United States has sent
to this country a greater number of he-
nationalssthan have been sent by all 9TH
er white nations combined common
alIiterative statement of fact in Seoul is
that in "nines and missionaries" America
leads IT may also be said that mining
and missionary work constitute the lead
ing forms of endeavor undertaken by for
eigners in Korea.
That the Japanese reached their con-
troll of Korea partly by short cuts to
power distinctly discreditable to a civil
lied nation and unheard of elsewhere in
modern history-as for instance the muir
der of the queen in cold blood and under
a written contract-cannot be disputed
The question of the present is whether
Japan, which has made marked advances
in many ways within the last fifteen
years will so conduct the much talked OF
reforms in Korea as to vindicate her