JAPANNING 'OF KOREA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 156, 26 March 1908, Page 7

JAPANNING 'OF KOREA.

ADVISER ATTACKED. BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPI'IiIGIII ' San Francisco, March 24. Two Koreans in San Francisco attacked and wounded Mr.- Stevens, the 'diplomatic adyiser to tho Korean Government,, because, in an interview, ho declared that tho Japanese administration in Korea was "a' bless-: ing. ■ '. KOREANS AND THEIR MASTERS. .< : The Japanese effected a coup d'etat in Korea ' in 1 1907Uy compelling the Emperor Ti Fu to resign in favour, of his . son,, the .Crown Prince, The step wits precipitated by the action of tho^Emperor,.:ahyays. anti-Japanese, in .sending envoys - ; to tlie Peace Conference at the Hague—a;i infringement of the Convention of 1905, which established a theoretical protec-. torate over Korea and entrusted Japan with the control of her foreign relations. Japan at once seized on tho long-awaited opportunity of reasserting her position; she sent tho'Viscount Hayashi.to Seoul, deposed the Emperor, disbanded tho Korean' troops after some sharp fighting /in the streets of the capital and elsewhere 1 in, tho peninsula, and then .forced the newly-appointed Emperor, to sign a Convention under which his country passed front Japan's protection to her . full control. The document provided: 1. In all matters relating to the.reform of the Korean administration the Korean Government shall receive instruction and guidance from tho Resident-General.

2. In all matters relating to the enactment of laws and ordinances and in . all- important matters' of administration, the 1 Korean Government must obtain tho. preliminary, approval of the' Resident-General. ■ .' 3. There shall be clear differentiation of'tlio Kcrean Executive and the Korean' : judiciary; 1 4. In all appointments and removals of high officials the' Korean Government must obtain the. consent of the Resident-General. ■ . '~ 5 The Korean Government fjhall appoint, to be officials of ICorea any Japanese subjects recommended by the Resident-General. J • • 6. The Korean Gbvernmcnt shall not appoint any foreigners, to bo officials of Korea without consulting tho Resident-General. ■ Since then tho Japanese, who had long been laying heavy hands on the entire life of. the island, adopted a much more militant policy, seizing and holding almost without redress tho land and property, of the Koreans. . The natural result was sporadic guerilla warfare in the country districts. Still Japan is resolved' to procecd with her policy of taking over the entire administration of the country. Korea has practically' ceased to exist. , .'.