The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13

the Count raised his glass by way OF
toast and wished me a pleasant trip
to China and the Liaotung peninsula,
to which l replied wishing continued
success to his high administration.
Noticing that his wine was family
tinged with %claret. I said to my neigh
Dor that surely the Count must have
learned that particular blend in Paris.
in Paris OF long ago.
"Oh, yes" replied Mr.. Hishida. the
Count was long in Paris when he was
a young man, yes, and French he
speaks perfectly"
So, across the white damask OF this
silver and crystal garnished table in
a palace in the Land OF the Morning
Calm the table of a Government Gem
eral Of a proud Oriental empire flashed
a sudden ruby beam that had danced
and spanked on festive occasion above
h board what time youth and folly
clinked glasses in the Latin Quarter
Of Paris-n!gh half a century ago.
Our host doubtless wondered at the
JOY that lit my face during the rest
of the repast.
For coffee and cigars we repaired to
the salon and at once began a con-
versation, the Count saying his French
was rusty. 1t was not; ii was fluent,
and he seemed pleased to revive the
chronicle of old times in France. Then
the French Empire as the military and
artistic nation of Europe held emf
nence In Japan. Thither he had gone
10 study military science and he loved
Paris as l did. After various ad-
vances in army rank he had returned
to Paris a Major as Military Attache
TO the japanese Legation there from
1882 10 1885. Thereafter followed sue
cessive advances in the higher army
grades, developing ability at each up
ward step.
The Count Is not a talker with the
gusto Of Count Okuma, but talks
freely enough. In reference to his
work in Chosen he laid the greatest
stress on the official endeavors to bet
ter agriculture among the legions of
farmers. Under the old Corean cor
d!t!ons all progress. all enterprise was
penalized. OR the slightest evidence
Of success In farming the farmers
rent or taxes or both were increased.
The situation in fact was as grave
and "a fe:ocious 10 the farmers as II
had been in Ireland before the reform
tld' N'N NHt sflu. 'L lINf, l'I u
stance, had been Increased 80 per cent.
from the same land area.
".Afforestation. as We are carrying II
on said the Count, having planted
perhaps 10000. 900 trees. is destined to
modify the wasting effects of the rain
fall until Chosen shall be in a land OF
heavily wooded hills and super-fertile
wales from north to south"
To restore habits of industry to the
natives was just as steadily their OBJ
ject. he said. holding out safety to
their savings through government
banks, promoting all enterprise pos
sible In the small manufactures Pc
Culiar TO the people. and reviving
through technical schools their ancient
industries.
".All this" he said. has to go slowly.
Confidence Is a plant Of slow growth.
The idling class is a great drawback
and an evil example. Their scorn OF
finger nails, is held onto through every
~pr!vation. The prosperity of others
lessons, however, their influence daily.
The change must move slowly. The
thing is to keep it moving wisely and
constantly"
Accompanied by the sagaclous Mr..
Hishida our party enjoyed that after
noon the privilege of a visit to the pal
aces inhabited by and those abandoned
of the Corean monarchs. Two are &C.
cupied by the deposed-one by the
latest of the line, Prince Ii, and
the other by his father and imperial
predecessor, called Prince VI. The
japanese Government allows them an
income of 1000, 900 yen. the same as
they enjoyed before annexation. They
retain their guards of Coreans and ma
tive servants and palace officials and
enjoy the freedom of their spacious
grounds and the city and suburbs
whenever they choose.
Seldom, however, are they seen
abroad.
shall pursue the story Of the pal
aces of that afternoon in another mar
rativc and limit myself here to say
ing that nothing more mournful than
an Oriental palace in decay and ahan-
comment can well be conceived. Here
il is raw and recent. They are not in
ruins; they are simply empty, their
high estate vanished, their pillared
halls vacant. their thrones dust Cov-
cred, their hinges rusty and creaking,
their garniture faded, the tall grass
waving as It springs between the stone
and marble pavements Of the court
yards and wide and deep quadrangles
that stretch one after the other for a
mile maybe from the towering monu-
mental gate of entrance between halls
of audience and imperial offices back
to the residence of the monarchs
themselves.
They say the lion and the lizard keep
The halls where Jumshyd gloried and
drank deep,
And Bahram, that great hunter, the Wild
Stamps Ger hi. head. but annot break
his sleep,
Here is no Jamshyd, only the Ier'
ished lustre of a degenerate line, soor
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