JAPAN AND KOREA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 14 September 1907, Page 3

JAPAN AND KOREA

PROFESSOR HULBERT ON THE SITUATION. For twenty-one years Professor Hulbert, an American educationalist, has been resident in Seoul, having originally settled there as instructor in the Royal School. In many ways he assisted the Koreans in educational and administrative matters. Professor Uulbert on his way hom.; to America was interviewed at London.

"I have not the slightest antipathy to the Japanese/' remarked Professor Hulbert. "I recognise their reniarkajjlc qualities and the strides they have made towards civilisation. I took their side in the late war, and do not desire to decry their present power. Nor do I accuse their chief men of being responsible for the treatment to which the Koreans have been subjected. Those in authority in Japan undoubtedly desire to do the right thing, but they have not under them the men to carry out their commands. This is partly the reason, but I must say that even some highlyplaced officers have done things that are inexcusable and almost unthinkable. Why, on* such man when he came over on a mission from the Emperor of Japan took a fancy to a beautiful pagoda SUO years old and sought permission to take it away in order that it might be placed in his museum of curiosities. When he was leaving Seoul he thanked the Emperor of Korea for his present of the pagoda! The Emperor, looking sur-1 prised, said that he had not made such a present, nor could he do so, because it was associated with his ancestors. Finding he could not secure it by guile the Japanese official sent a force of armed men, who tore it to pieces and shipped the stones to Japan. It was just as if a foreign force were to pull down your Xelson's monument in Trafalgar Square.

"pvery office in the country is boing given to Japanese, who have swarmed into Korea. Soon after the Japanese Government seized Korea a Japanese syndicate tried to wring from the Koreans a concession of all the unoccupied land in the country. The Japanese <!o----vernment backed up the demand, but the Koreans refused to agree. When the Americans, English, and other traders in Korea heard of the claim put forward there was manifest such indignation that Japan was glad to drop the matter.

"Korea established certain treaty rights with England and America, and I Japan is, I consider, ignoring them. She is steadily promoting her own trade in the peninsula, erecting cotton mills and flour mills, raising the duties, and generally making it difficult for Americans and Englishmen to conduct their commerce in the country. When I reach America I hope to appeal to chambers of Trade and such like bodies, so tint they may know the real facts of the case."