Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-17
INTEREST IN KOREA
Far Eastern Journals All Dis
cuSS Annexation.
JAPAN HAS HANDS FULL
Debt Of About $4,5O0,000 Must Be
Paid Annually.
MANY OTHER BIG PROBLEMS
Newspaper Congratulates Govern
ment on Way in Which It
Carried out Amalgamation.
MANY OTHER BIG PROBLEMS
,rcign Correspondence Of Tho Star.

The topic which absorSs the far eastern
journals 10 the exclusion of all others is
the annexation Of Korea by JAY an. In the
Ntppin, which is under tie editorShip
of an ex-official of the Bank OF Japan
and enjoys a high reputation in financial
| circles, the large responsibilities that Will
devolve upon Japan as a sequel Of Ko-
| rean amalgamation are Squarely faced
| 1t is pointed out that While the Korean
| state expenditure aggregates more than
$12,J0O.O0O annually the income amounts
| to only sT,OOO,OOO. There is, consequent
| ly, debt of about s4,50O. 600 annually,
| which for some time has barely been
covered by loans and grants from Japan.
! The life OF the Korean nation seems to
have been one long story of extortions
on tie part of officials and gradual ex-
| termination of weaith-earning spirit
among the people. A large part of the
country is in a desolate condition, and
even the most prosperous portions pre-
sent depressing spectacle.
! How to discharge satisfactorily the
duty she has assumed toward the many
millions of Korean people, says the
japan. The Aeahi shimbun, Wi Writing
on the annexation, points out that dur
ing the last thirteen years two large
| oversee countries have been added to the
rea. 1t proceeds to contrast the new
| acquisitions Of the island empire, and
| finds 'discouraging differences" between
| the two.
| While Formosa measures only $4,000
square miles, the area Of Korea, il points
out. is $1,000 square miles, go that the
/ Korea peninsula is more than six times
az extensive as the Island OF Formosa,
Yet the latter has 100000 Inhabitants,
and the former only twelve or thirteen
| millions. In short. the areas are as six
to one, and the population only as three
to one. More striking still is the contrast
between the oversee trades Of the two
countries. In Korea's case the figures
are $215,OOo,O0O for the general oversee
| trade, and $25,OOC.O0O for the precious
metals. making nearly $3.50 100000 in all.
| The trade Of Formosa. on the other hand,
| including her commerce with Japan, ag-
gregates $l5O,Ooo.Oo0 annually or more
| than one-half Of the Korean figure.
More significant still are the returns Of
state revenue. While IN Korea the peo-
| pie pay only 81 .OOO,0 600 annually to the ex-
| II is pointed out, however that these con-
trasts were not by any means so striking
when Japan added Formosa to her en-
| pire, and their existence may be taken
az indicative Of the probable results Of
Japan's sway in the peninsula.
Government Congratulated.
| The Japan Mail congartulates the
Japanese government on the manner in
which 1t has carried out the Korean
| annexation. If, 1t says, it be true, as the
kilograms seem to indicate. that the tota!
| expense of dealing with the various
claims arising out of the annexation Of
! Korea does not exceed $1J,000.OU6, the
I world must agree that there has not
over, the three classes directly con-
cerned in the settlement. namely, the i'm
perial family, the meritorious subjects,
and the Yanpang, seem to be entirely
| satisfied-whtch Is, of course, q matter
| for great congratulation. The sovereign
| ceases to exercise governing powers, and
is reduced to the position OF a nominal
being, while the resident general becomes
a viceroy, OF a governor general, possess
ing the same administrative and legis-
lative competence as the totoku of the
leased territory or the sotoku OF For
mosa
The pill is richly silded in the case Of
the deposed sovereign. II will suffer no
diminution of income, continuing to re-
ceive $4,000 yearly. The Japanese gov
eminent, indeed, says the Mail, 'ap-
pears to have managed this difficult mat
ter with much address It has obtained
the full approval Of all those most in
timately concerned In the change, even
the ex-emperor himself being an APPROX
ing party. Moreover, everything has been
worked out quietly and without any os-
tentation whatever. Material to feed agi-
tation is reduced to a minimum
i Now a Continental Power.
3 Looking on the other side Of the pic
ture from that OF acquisition, the
Mail points out that the possession OF
Korea converts Japan into a CONT
mental power 1t would certainly
have been safer and less expensive for
her to remain insular. But che could
not. in that matter, have exercised any
choice. except on condition that the
! island Of Tsushima was buried in the
sea. and that the passage between
Japan and Korea was widened by about
100 miles In fact, nature forced
Japan's hand. The journal adds, with
entire confidence" that the conven-
tional interests OF foreigners in Korea
will be strictly safcguarded.
Japan, 1t says. has always shown
herself absolutely loyal in discharging
her treaty obligations. and there need
not be the slightest fear Of any de-
parture from that strict rule on ar
occasion so important as this. Another
feature which invites observation, il
thinks, is the gradual manner in which
this problem has been solved. The
public has been prepared by such
leisurely and patient processes tina,
the denouement loses all striking pro-