JAPAN AND KOREA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7962, 13 February 1906, Page 6

JAPAN AND KOREA.

Japan tella tb© world that she baa interfered in Korean politics with the idea of helping the Koreans and placing the country on a bettor political and commercial footing, but tho witnesses are not all in her favour. A writer in "The World Today," who claims to have an intimate knowledge of the position o' affairs, charges the Japanese with having interfered in a quite unwarrented manner and for purely selfish reasons. The Koreans, hestutes, see Japan not only assuming control of their Government by a display of force, but alao practically confiscating all commercial privileges of value. They have seen their land taken from tbem along the lines of the now railways and near their large inland cities, under the pretex of "military necessity." They see their country filling with Japanese coolies. Wbon Japan sends an employer to Korea to open up an industry she also sends her own coolies to do tho work for him, and the Koreans do not understand how this policy is goins to help the toiling millions of the peninsula. "The Koreans would like to kuow what they have done to justify this wnolesale confiscation of their government and their commerce," says this correspondent. "They have made no war on Japan; they have offered no opposition to Japan's plans for administrative reform. Korea has snade no war on foreigners of any sort. She Has protected thode who reside within her boundaries. There has been no rebellion or upraising against lawful authority. The Koreans have been at peace at home and at peace with the world. They have given no power the slightest excuse for depriving them of their government or for turning loose upon them thousands of labourers t■> drive them from their means of ! earning a livelihood. The Koreans 1 can find no motive for Japsta's coni duct in Korefc but that of avarice j and greed." The writer proceeds to i quote a number of instances in j which the Japanese are alleged to | have acted witii gross injustice towards) the Koreans. In conclusion, he states that Japan has now made her usurpation of authority in Korea permanent by forcing npon the people the acceptance of a protectorate.