The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16

QtNtlODH1enI OF their country As II - |
now, the woods have been cut from the |
mountains and many of the peaks are as |
bare as a desert. This makes 1t impos- |
sible to conserve the RAINFALL and we have |
not the water needed for irrigation. One !
| of our first works will be along the line
Of reforestation. We are planting trees
in many places and have laid out model |
forests near Seoul Ping Yang and Taiku
These forests cover thousands of acres
and have cost several hundred thousand
ven. We find the trees grow well and
hope in time to have the mountains again
covered with verdure.
I'VE are also establishing experimental
FARMS" continued his excellency, and
are trying to teach the people to make
the most of their lands. At present there
is little use of manure, and they know
nothing of artificial fertilizers. They 40
not appreciate the possibilities or their
soil. 1t will produce eight-tenths of the
varieties of things grown in Japan, ana
! some which we cannot successfully cultl-
Vate.
This is especially so as to cotton We
are experimenting with that at half q
dozen different places in southern Corea.
We have used the native seed ana also
the American upland. So far the native
seed seems the better. Our experts es-
innate that there are 10000 acres Of good
cotton land in Corea, and that we can
eventually raise all the cotton we need
here and have a large amount for Ship
ment abroad"
Room for Twenty Millions More.
Suppose Corea were carefully farmed,
how many people could 1t support?'
THAT question is difficult to answer"
said Visconnt Some. I'VE have now about
20, GOO, 600 people here This is above other
estimates, but there are parts of the coun-
try which are thickly populated. II al
the land available could be used and
improved methods employed on 1t and on
the farms now under cultivation, there is
no doubt but what we could produce twice
as much as we do now. This means that
Corea could then support 49, 600, 600 without
much trouble. 1t might support more"
I'm that case you will have an outlet for
the congestion of Japan, will you not?"
ITO some extent, yes; but, so far, the
! Japanese farmers do not seem anxious to
come to Corea The methods of eultiva-
ton are different here are also the
soil and conditions of life. We have been
encouraging immigration, but as yet have
not hadsmany of the farming class A
great deal of the undeveloped land lies
in the northern part of the country The
farming there is more like that of the
United States and our people do not take
to it. Indeed, I expect to see a growth
of the Corean population, rather than
an influx from Japan"
Sanitary Improvements.
I'VE are greatly improving the sanitary
conditions of the country" continued Wis
count Some. This will cut down the |
death rate and, with better times, the |
birth rate will grow. AS it is now, the
people know almost nothing about taking |
care of their health Smallpox occurs |
regularly from year to year, and little |
prevention is used to stop 1t. We have !
established vaccine farms and are vacci- |
mating the people as rapidly as possible. |
We find it very hard to do this, especial |
ly in the country districts. The Coreans |
do not understand what vaccination |
means and they are more afraid of 1t
than of the smallpox. These same con- |
ditions prevailed at the time vaccina- |
ton was introduced into Japan. 1t may |
interest you to know that I was the first |
baby vaccinated there. That IS years |
ago. The vaccine matter took and have |
never had the smallpox I make it rule,
however, to be revaecinated every Ave |
years."
How about your hospitals?"
I'VE have, as you>know, just completed |
large one in Seoul. This now has one |
hundred beds and is thoroughly equipped |
In every respect. There is medical col |
lege connected with 1t. and we expect to
educate young doctors who will practice |
throughout the country. We are improv- |
ing the chief cities by cleaning them.
You see what is going on in Seoul. Sim
liar work Is being done In Fusan, Che
mulpo and elsewhere"
Corean Mines.
The conversation here turned to mining
concessions, and I asked his excenency
If foreigners had any chance to make
money mining In Corea. He replied:
They have as many opportunities as
the Japanese.A The minerals, with the ex-
ception of coal, are open to ALL AS 1t is
now, some of the most valuable mines are
held by Americans. and there are num-
Der of large concessions belonging to for
eigners."
rs the country rich, minerally?'
1T has minerals in many parts of it,
said the resident general but l believe
not in large quantities. Most of the min
ing properties are SMALL and so far no 1
great and valuable discoveries, outside of
the gold and copper mines, have been
made. Corea contains silver. gold, cop
per and iron. There is considerable coal
but the supply of fuel out here in the far
east is so limited that we have special
regulations concerning it,
lis there enough coal and iron to make
Corea an industrial country"
II think so. We shall eventually have
factories and foundries and will make for
ourselves many of the things which we
buy from abroad"
The Open Door.
Does the open door exist in Corea. your
excellency3"
YES According to the treaties the
goods of all countries come in on the
same terms. There are no determinations
In favor of Japan, and indeed Japan has
the worst of 1t as to some importations.
This is so with tobacco. That is a mo-
nopoly in Japan and the government
fixes the prices Every one knows what
the merchants have to pay for the jap +
anese tobaccos. Therefore the American
Tobacco company and others can ship in
their wares and undersell the Japanese.
believe they are doing that now
"As to our foreign trade that will rap
idly increase under the new regime. and
1t is now approximating thirty million
gold dollars. Seven years ago it was less
than twelve millions. The growth is chief
ly in imports. although the exports have
more than doubled within four years.
The imports were over A, GOO, 600 yen In
1907
What proportionfof your trade comes
from JapanT
"In 1907 our imports amounted to 81 00o-
900 ven, or Not quite three-fourths of the
whole. They are increasing steadily with
the growth of Japanese business houses
here. 1t is the same with the exports.
Japan is taking more and more of the
products of Corea every year. and about
-fourths of all the country sells now
comes to her. The greater part of this
trade consists of agricultural crops and