The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-06-22

point out those whom they hate as in
surgents and as a result have them
killed. The Japanese have taken many
of the old Korean soldiers into their
notice force n are using them as
gems d'armes throughout the country.
Such Koreans are much more cruel
than the Japanese themselves and they
are believed to be responsible TOR a
large proportion of attacks upo the
so-called insurgents.
The Country Unsafe.
With conditions like these, the
country is unsafe for foreigners When
travelling without some kind OF pro-
lection. The Korean people believe
in the missionaries and the rebels re
spect them, but many Of the
are ignorant to an extreme and at a
distance they cannot tell the differ
ence between a Japanese n a Euro
pean. Many japanese dress in Euro
pean clothes, and the rebels are prone
to think any man SO dressed a Japa-
nese, and to shoot him on sight. Not
long ago Mr.. Erdman, a Presbyterian
missionary at Taiku, about n hun
dred miles north of Fusan, went on a
trip over the country. He had on a
Khaki suit, and khaki is the color worn
by the Japanese soldiers when in the
field. AS a result, he was aiken for a
Japanese, and narrowly escaped with
lis liz ~ 1COCtS I'm oopSoA ~
him insisted he was lying when he
told them he was a missionary n
an American. It was only his fair hair
and blue eyes that enabled him to
hold them back, until some more IN
te1ligent Koreans arrived and con-
WINGED his captors hat he was speak
ing the truth. Another missionary
who was travelling IN black clothes
was also attacked and had a narrow
escape.
The Rebels and Our Consul General.
Some of these Emp Yunge operate
in the mountains, not far from n
capital, and pleasure parties from
Seoul are often in danger. A few
months ago Mr.. Thomas Sammons,
the American cn<sul general, took a
picnic trip with HIS wife and son
into the mountains near here. They
went in chairs and j1nrinkishas, and
the son, who is now a student in Har-
ward University. led the procession. He
was dressed in khaki, and a band Of
five rebels caught sight Of him. They
leveled their guns and ordered the
party to stop. Mrs. Sammons had a
bunch of flowers in her hands and
she waved these at them, supposing
them friendly Koreans. In the mean
time the consul general came up, and
it was only with difficulty that he
was ahle to show the men that they
We're Americans and to keep them
IIoIh liiS- I1dd THESE Emp L uIISS
done as many Of their fellows fire.
Guent1y do. that is, shoot on sight, the
hoy would have been killed.
The Koreans and the United States.
The attack upon the consul general
had nothing whatever to do with the
feeling which many patriotic Koreans
now hold in regard to our country.
Until the present day they have always
looked upon us as their best friends
anon tho nations + Wa COW
which made the first treaty
that opened their land to the world.
This was in 1882 when COmmOd ore
Shufeldt came here with a fleet and
had a conference With the king. In
this treaty it was stated that if other
owe dealt unjustly or oppressively
With Korea that the United States
would interfere and try to bring about
an amlcable arrangement. The .KO-
reans construed this as meaning that
We would support them AGAINST any
other nation in preserving their indie
pendence. Before the emperor was
deposed he sent commissioners to
America asking our aid against the
n the commissioners were
not received. Many of the people
look upon this as a breach of the in
ternational faith and feel that we
nave sold them out to Japan.
It was this that largely caused the
assassination of Stevens. He was an
American in the employ of the jap
anese. and was then on his way to
washington. as they thought, to put
another nail in Korea's coffin. They
We're woefully mistaken, for Stevens.
like his master, Prince Ito, was one
OF the best friends that the Korean
have ever had, and he was la
boring to give them independence un-
der the protection of Japan.
[ understand that the recan+ viS;+
OF u fleet to Japan was another
thorn in the flesh Of Korea, as in that
act we seemed to have allied ourselves
with their enemy. The first report of
tne 1leet which was distributed over |
hoIea was mat 1t was coming to re-
c6nfllrQ- fhiC. |