The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-05-01
BUILT
STEEL CLADS
800 YEARS AGO
Startling Facts about Hermit
Kingdom Are Reported to
Geographical Society.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., May Il
George KEENAN,, explorer and lectur-
er, recently communicated to the
National Geographic Society, at
years before the Monitor ana Merit
mack were created. The Hermit
Kingdom was using lioable type and
Astronomical Instruments from the
twelfth to the fifteenth centuries,
and employing explosive bombs long
before they were known in Europe.
He points out that the famous Papan-i
Iese Satsuma pottery was made orig
iinally by orean workmen wno were
imported into the Mtkado's king
iom.
These facts are cited by Mr.. Ken
nan to show the terrific downfall ex-
lperienced b yKorea He traces her
course from her pinnacle of ctViliza-l
ton to the depth of degeneracy, and
expresses great hopes for her future,
under the guidance of Japan.
While Korea was sinking, Japan
was rising, until the island kingdom,
lall by ner own efforts, became such
a world power as to defeat a great
European nation,r he says. "Thel
Koreans were a mainland people.
They had laugh the medival Japs all
the civilization they had. But, by
reason OF their geographical location
they were invaded by vastly inferior
peoples, the Mongols ana the Man
chus. Korea was Influenced to es-
taiblish demonolgy as her religion
her blood was weakened by being
crossed with that of people vastly
beneath her and her spirit was
broken by the indignities heaped up
on her by the more powerful in
va1ers. She was under the influence
of China, which adopted the semi
sacred books Of Confuclus as its ma
tional system of education 1000
works and the ability to recite long
chapters of his writings, were made
the chief requirements of the asptr-
ant for honors. AS result, the
study of the sciences, mathematics
and the phenomina of nature was
dropped; the memory was over-culti-
waited and the reasoning power stui-
titled. The habits of the Koreans
became unsleanly; they grew indif-
ferent to dirt and smells.
Japan, on the other hand, was
never invaded in her history; her
blood was never intermingled and
her stock was allowed to remain pure,
Her national character was developed
without outside influence. The Shinto
} religion of the empire has as its car
dinal principles purity of body, spirit
and environment Japan was not ex-
posed to the scourges and plaques
!, that Korea's dirt and filth brought
!, upon her. The fuedal system sprang
up in Japan, causing authority to be
: respected and discipline to be de-
veloped.
in 1910, Japan annexed Korea,
Prior to that time, as many deaths as
I. 80 Ga day had occurred in the city of
Seoul alone; srortly afterwards not
as many people died from the plague
in the whole kingdom in one year
Japan forcibly vaccinated 100000
people in one year. One hundred and
/ sixty-eight courts were established
/ giving authority to 1900 gendarmes
Hundreds OF miles Of roads are being
built. Afforestation on an extensive
scale is being carried on. To encour-
age the silk wor mindustry 100000
mulberry tree seedlings were set out
1 none year. State and private banks
we're established. The postal savings
system was installed. and one in every
six families has savings account
The people, at first suspicious, have
learned that they will get their money
back whenever they ask for it. In the
first year after the Japanese oecup-
ancy, the rice crop was doubled, and
the wheat and barley crops grew from
l14,000,OOO to S6,0OO,0OO bushels. The
Japanese have built model village
in every province and are encouraging
the people to build similar villages
throughout the kingdom"
Mr.. eKenan points out that Korea
ha sthe same geographical advantages
as a great portion OF the eastern part
OF the United States. She is just as
we'll fitted to be the home Of healthy.
prosperous and happy people," he
says. "She is located similarly to the
territory bordering o nthe Atlantic
coast from Portland, Me-, to Charles
ton, S. c., and extending inward to
Albany, y. Y. Harrisburg, Pa, Lynch
burg, Va, and Columbia, S. c."