March 15, 1909.]
five per cent of the black eyes one meets in his daily experience dre due to the ineradicable habit with some folk of always seeking to attend to other folks' business
KOREA'S REFORMATION.
(Daily Press, March 8th) The "Annual Report for 1907 on Reforms and Progress in Korea, compiled by H.I.J.M's Residency General," and issued at Seoul a few weeks ago contains a good deal of interesting matter. It is published in English specially for the information of foreign students of affairs in the Peninsula, and hence its account of past and present conditions will probably be looked upon as having a strong tinge of "subjectivity." In fact, it consists of a series of sections each beginning with an account of conditions existing in 1905 and proceeding to detail what is claimed to bave been accomplished by the Japanese since that very recent date. If the claims are literally accepted we must believe that everything that is good in the country has been introduced by the Japanese in the short space of four years. We have no space to 'go into all the counts of the indictment brought against the old Korean administration. Suffice it to say that, al- though for thirty years previously, there had been foreign advisers of various nationalities in the country as well as missionaries and other educators Korea is declared to have had in 1905 an utterly rotten Imperial Court; a still worse system of local ad- ministration; a judicial system all of whose officers were "utterly deficient in knowledge" in which torture was commonly resorted to and bribery universal; prisons worse than pigstyes in which innoceent persons were often thrown to gratify private spite; an army totally incompetent even for maintaining order at home; a system of land taxation based on surveys five hundred years old, which had never been properly revised and had since become a mass of iniquities; practically no roads; a postal service whose mismanagement caused a yearly increasing demand on the Treasury; a telegraph service which struck work in bad weather, and so on, through all the items of public affairs." And all this chaos, the Report tells its readers, has been reduced to order by the Japanese in four years; in addition to putting down a widespread insurrection which cost the lives of many thousand "rebels" and of a few Japanese soldiers.
暴露
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
207
in Korea, rather than extinguished by the policy Japan is now pursuring in the country.
PATERNAL GOVERNMENT.
(Daily Press, March 9th.)
It will be admitted that Japan is, in many ways, doing good work in Korea; that the country, from its long seclusion, had degenented to an extent which made con- tinued independence impossible in face of the contending interests of the these neigh- bouring Powers. But, which admitting all this, critics of Japan assert that the Japanese
It is somewhat curious that at the time cannot claim any merit in the ultimate good when the Chinese are seriously considering results, whatever they may be; "for their the defects in the system of government motives are perfectly clear. They wish to which has so long obtained in the Celestial make of Koreanother Japan, to make it as Empire, European nations, and probably thoroughly Japanese as Kiushiu; and none more so than Great Britain are, in an when the Koreans are fully Japanized-if unsuspected manner adopting the principle that time ever comes-when they contri- which experience in these parts has proved bute their full share of conscripts to the to be so delusive. No truer remark was ever Japanese Army and their full share of taxes made than one uttered by the late Professor to its Exchequer, then, no doubt, they will LEGGE that the Chinese system, ns set forth be left in peaceful enjoyment of what will in their Classics, is suited to a family or remain to them." Japan's idea of coloniz- to a small village community, but is quite ation, say her critics, is rather after the unadapted to the government of a large Roman than the modern civilized type. country or empire. The analogy between For our part we are unable to see in what a pation and a family has always been respect Japan's idea of colonization differs attractive but all experience shows that it from that of Great Britain in India, France is completely false. The history of China in Indo-China and the United States in the stands probably at the head of such experi- Philippines. Indeed it seems to us that ence. The whole system of society in the Japan has heen following the Americna idea country is an enlargement of the idea of the of colonization very closely. She takes the family-and, ingeniously as it has been tone of the elder brother in her relations worked out-that system bas led to abuses with the Koreans just as the United States in every direction, the most obvious of course does in the Philippines. She holds out to being the arbitrary power which it places the Koreans, as the United States dres to in the hands of the Emperor and the the Filipinos, the prospect of national officials-as by analogy, the fathers of all the independence when they acquire the people-to, whom implicit obedience must capacity for self-government and the ability be accorded. This paternal system is found to stand, if not entirely alone, yet in to pervade the government of China in all some such relation as Cuba stands now directions and the result has been the to the United States. We do not know why establishment of a form of administration so Japan's constantly reiterated professions arbitrary that some of the high authorities of altruism should be doubted any more themselves. are at last beginning to than the professions of the United States recognise that it cannot be longer continued in regard to the Philippine Islands. without substantial modification. The idea Mistakes have doubtless been made by that the State is a kind of large family Japan in Korea due to ber "want of practice which must be managed on domestic princi- in the art of colonization." But if the ples is the underlying fallacy that has given critics would extend their outlook they so great an impetus of late years to the would see abundant evidence that even an Socialistic movements at home which, if· old and experienced colonizing Power like they could succeed, would end in as com- Great Britain is not regarded as infallible. plete a tyranny on the part of the masses Men have written and continue to publish as has ever existed on that of officials in charges against the British administration of China or in the most arbitrarily governed India not dissimilar to the charges hurled at countries in the world. The State is to do the Japanese by Messrs. HULBERT, MCKEN- everything to regulate the hours of labour, ZIE, and a few others who bave written on to find employment for unemployed, to grant Korean questions, with strong prejudice old age pensions, and in a number of other against the Japanese administration, and we ways to do for individuals what with know to what lengths many educated leaders ordinary prudence, they could, in many of public opinion in India have gone in recent instances at least, do as well or better for years in giving expression to their diss tis-themselves. This kind of interference is factory. Continual fasseveration of the virtues of humanity, moderation and toler- ance in colonization are certainly not a satisfactory substitute for their actual prac tice, but those who impute that Japan is by her actions deliberately belieing her altruistic professions might in a calm moment ask themselves whether Japan would be likely to do anything so foolish. The eyes of the whole world are upon Japan's work in Korea. She has nothing to gain by high- handed action; the success of her schemes will be in proportion to her success in conciliating the population and enlisting their sympathy with progress and reform and their co-operation in giving effect to her plans. It would be political insanity on the part of Japan to adopt any other course, and the more the Korean nation grows in political wisdom, and in wealth following the develop. ment of its resources the more remote is the prospect of Korea becoming "as much a province of Japenas Kiushiu." The prospect of independence is continually beld up to the Korean nation by Japan, and it seems to us that the sentiment of nationality in Korea likely to be fostered and strengthened
But the remarkable chapter in the book is the Introductory one. "During several decades, it says, many suggestions were offered and sincere efforts exerted by Japan with a view of reforming Korean maleadmin- istration. "From the very begining. it has been the unbroken policy of Japan to open the Hermit Kingdom' to the world, to establish terms of neighbourly friendship, to strengthen the Korean Imperial House and to maintain the independence of the country." After the war with China, Japan reverted to her program of friendly Following these sinceres counsels, the Korean Government engaged a number of Japanese advisers." After the war with Russia, "Japan had now realized that Korea was not capable of governing herself" and "by successive agreements, obtained entire control of Korea's foreign affairs," but with respect to domestic affairs," she contents herself with having advisory supervision of the general admini- stration." Even at the present day, the decrees of the Resident-General are spoked of as "advice
to the "
Korean Govern- ment."
advice
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assumed
that which is m st complained of when it emanates from above, instead of from below, but it is precisely the same in the nature and effects, whether it results from the decree of an Emperor or a Viceroy or from undue pressure brought upon Parliament by the "Labour" or "Socialist" parties, The mistake in both instances is that of concluding that whatever may be done by the head of a family for its benefit, can be undertaken by the State with ad- vantage to the community This is a com- plete reversal of the principle which was formerly accepted, namely that it is un. desirable for the State to undertake any- thing that can be manage by individuals or associations of private individuals for themselves. The old rule was the less government interference the better. Now, however, the Government is called upon to interfere in almost everything and, if the Socialists had their way, they would have the railways, waterworks and all large enterprises in the hands of the Government
and of course, the Government in their hands. This is the point to which, on democratic lines, a system based upon ex-
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