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23rd. (17th of 10th Moon), Friday. Very cold.
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For the last ten days or more, confined to the house with a felon at the end of the left index finger. A felon, one of the facts which one should never have at his finger's end.
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Wandering facts and fancies.
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1. Against all precedents, against all remonstrances and against all reason and rhyme, the Emperor has ordered that the people should wear the Princess mourning for one year. He is an abomination.
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2. It is plain that the Japanese the Japanese authorities (military) are encouraging the organization of Il-Chin-Hoi all over the country. That Japanese mean anything good (for Korea) by their support of the Il-Chin-Hoi is contradicted by the meanness which they display along every line. If Japanese are really anxious to improve the condition of Korea, all they have to do is to check the oppressive prerogatives of the Emperor. They can do so with a word. But instead of doing so, the Japanese Legation is encouraging the Emperor in all things injurious to Korea. Mr. Hayashi seems to make it his rule to recommend the rottenest Koreans for high positions as long as these Koreans serve his purpose. For example, Paing Han Joo, the Magistrate of Pyongyang, is one of the dirtiest squeezers―so vile that even the vile Korean government had to disgrace him. His Majesty Hayashi came to Paing's rescue and demanded his reinstatement! Now if Japanese have the least intention of seeing Korea prosperous and independent, they would never do such things.
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Then what do they want with the Il-Chin-Hoi? Simply this: The Japanese military authorities want to use coolies for transporting their stores, for building their rail roads. The members of the Il-Chin-Hoi will serve the purpose. Then the Japanese want to utilize the Hoi to extort concessions from the abominable Emperor.
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3. Mr. W.D. Stevens, the Japan-recommended advisor to the Foreign Office, arrived at Seoul the day before yesterday. He is to be paid by Korea to do the business of Japan. He is to have a Japanese master and spy in the shape of a secretary. Mr. Stevens is no more a free agent in his position than the commonest slave. He must do what Japanese dictate or be fired at a moment's notice. For an American to submit to such conditions of slavery is amazing to me. All right enough if paid by Japanese to do Japan's work. But to receive Korea's salary and yet to work for her oppressor―can Mr. Stevens be a proud American?
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4. Before the War many a Korean who had a decent house or site had to hold his property in the name of some Foreigner for fear of being robbed by the Emperor. But now the Japaneses are worse than the Emperor. Mr. Pak Choi Sun, who has a nice property on the hill opposite to my house, sent a man to me last night to consult me how best he might preserve his property against the robbery of Japanese. He fears that they might grab his property on the elastic military necessity pretext.
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5. Whenever I remind Mr. Hayashi that such and such a step would arouse dissatisfaction among Koreans, his invariable answer is: "Let them be dissatisfied. I do not care." When I tell him so-and-so is dishonest, hence he must not recommend him, Hayashi would answer "Koreans all same. Who is honest?" Hayashi is thus proof against all advice in the wise line. His answers remind me of the answers which Mrs. Waeber used to give me when I told her of the villainy of Kim Hong Nyuk. Pride goes before the fall. Who knows, Hayashi may yet regret his unwise pride as Mrs. Waeber must have done a thousand times these last ten months.
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However I like Hayashi better than Kato―the sweet smiling diplomatist, Hayashi is more frank and outspoken than most of his tribe.
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6. Yi Yong Ik is expected to return soon. Everything Japanese do is fickle, unreliable and treacherous. It is as dangerous to base an action or a course of actions on the caprice or the promise of Japanese as it is to walk on quagmire.
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Today the 共進會, a club started by 羅裕錫 and 尹孝定, for similar purpose as that of Il-Chin-Hoi, began its reform movement by attacking fortune-tellers. They captured Yi Yu In and Koo Pom So and took them to the 平理院 asking the court to try them.
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The corruption and oppression of the Palace and of the government are such that no act of violence on the part of the people is worse than the absolute shameless villainy of the Palace and its ministers or minions.
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Last night, 金楨根 was appointed 警務使. Yi Joon, Yun Hyo Jung and Na Yu Suk were arrested and imprisoned. The Emperor issued orders to break up the 共進會. O for a Parisian populace to teach the high titled rescals in and out of the Palace a good lesson. But the Japanese, on one hand, encourage despotism and on the other support the popular agitators, keeping both parties just out of the reach of one another's claws in order to suck the blood of both. Between the shameless despotism of the Palace, and the shameless treachery of Japanese the people of Korea are torn to pieces.
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The Kong Chin Hoi people held an open air meeting in front of the Supreme Court, protesting against the tyranny of the Government. The Police tried to disperse them in vain. The people went en masse to the 大安門 and wailed, shouting 하누님 맙소사 or "God forbid that the people are thus treated." Then without being able to accomplish anything the crowd had to adjourn until after the Princess funeral.
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The government is pushing vigorously the antipopular measures―arresting, imprisoning and expelling all who are connected with either the Kong-Chin or the Il-Chin-Hoi society. I have it on my father's authority that yesterday the Emperor, persuaded by Yi Yun Yong, Yi Yong Tai etc, ordered my father to issue instructions to the War Department to use force against the people. My father succeeded in dissuading the Emperor from talking the dangerous and unjust step. But General Hasegawa, in an audience, told the Emperor that in Japan 500 unruly people had to be destroyed at one time, that if he (Hasegawa) had his way, he would not hesitate to use force against the people and that His Majesty was perfectly justified to employ the most drastic means for the dispersion of the people. Kang Suk Ho, who was present at the audience, rejoiced at the wise advice of Hasegawa. As the result of the counsel, Kwon Jong Suk, the Chief of the Imperial Police, was given orders or power to order out all the military and police forces against the people. Instructions were given to the effect that bayonets, etc. may be used freely but that no gun should be discharged. The Pyong Yang soldiers were most depended on for the butchery.
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For Hasegawa to give the Emperor such an advice! When the Il-Chin-Hoi first started, the government sent a squad of soldiers and police to suppress the meeting. But the Japanese army headquarters gave the Il-Chin-Hoi full protection. But for that, Il-Chin-Hoi would never have come into existence. Now the Japanese military head advise the Emperor to butcher the Il-Chins! This is what Koreans call giving disease and medicine. (병주고 약준다)
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Japan has Korea in her power. Either to annex or to reform Korea, Japan has only to say a word. There is no power in Korea to resist Japanese advice or advance. Why then this crooked course? Why then this cheating the Emperor on the one hand and the people on the other? Why then this making the King as hateful to the people as possible? Why then this encouraging of the despotism of the King? Japanese seem to love treachery for its own sake.
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Today the Il-Chin-Hoi moved into its new quarters close to 大安門. The soldiers and police tried to dislodge them. Eleven of the Il-Chin's were wounded. Japanese gendarmes and soldiers interfered in behalf of the Il-Chin's. Several Korean officers were arrested and carried away to the Japanese headquarters.
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The people now hate the ( ) so much that they seem to welcome anything to humiliate and disappoint him. Nothing short of his total dethronement would satisfy the sense of justice or the feeling of disgust of the people.
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Now the government is in the hands of Yi Yun Yong, Yi Yong Tai, Yi Yong Ik, Kwon Joong Suk, Yi Kun Taik etc. Japanese are keeping the government in this disgraceful condition in order to suck dry the blood of Korea. They may one of these days have reason to regret their evil deeds. At least, I hope so.
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Laura sick. Had to stay in Dr. Cutler's hospital. Do what we may, Laura continues sickly. Since her return from Shanghai two months ago, scarcely a week has passed without her being sick one or two or three days out of seven.
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Helen, our youngest pet, is so sweet and so bright. She now mimics almost everything she sees. She is not a strong child either.
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