2
1st. Friday. Beautiful.
3
A Japanese writer in the Keijo Nippo complains that the Government General, too solicitous to please the Koreans, is indifferent to the rate of increase or decrease of the number of the Japanese settlers in Korea. What a scurrilous and unreasonable fool! The Japanese have everything in Korea that's worth having. They have the absolute power over the life and property of the Korean. All the means of communication and of transportation are in their hands. Commerce, industry, mining and fishery are almost monopolized by the Japanese. They enjoy the protection and favor of the authorities to the extent that no Korean may aspire to have. All that the Japanese immigrants have to do is simply to come and drive out the poor Korean from every walk of life. If the Japanese settlers don't increase as fast as some Japanese wish to see, it's certainly not the fault of the authorities or of the Koreans.
4
The greatest hindrance to the promotion of friendly relations between the two races is the arrogance, aggressiveness and avarice of the Japanese residents in Korea.
6
2nd. Saturday. Beautiful.
7
Pyon Hoon tells me that the Chosen Il Po is to be resurrected as an organ of the powers that be. A likely event!
10
Heard this morning that my aunt (father's sister) died yesterday. She lived to the good old age of three score and sixteen years. A wonderful woman she was.
11
Worshipped at 宗橋 Church. A Japanese(大濱翠) introducing himself as an editor of the 滿鮮評論 called. He, because there were a few other visitors in the room, wrote on his card to the effect that he is a socialist and that he wanted to have a secret interview with me. I told him that, the police being over sensitive, I had to decline any secret interview. He sat over an hour and finally asked me to give him some money to pay his R.R. fare to 大邱. That I, had to refuse to comply with, too. I can't tell who is who now a days.
13
4th. Monday. Beautiful.
14
With cousin 致昭 left Seoul by 7 a.m. train for 天安. From 天安 Station to 溫泉 by auto and thence to 左府 in "rickshaw." Paid our condolence visit to 李曺相 and his family. Our last farewell bows to the remains of our venerated aunt. She lived about 70 years in the village, a model of womanly virtues―a great force for good. Owing to the difference of our opinions in regard to ancestral worship, there was no love lost between her and me toward the close of her life. What a pity that even good people let religious prejudice override our judgment and commonsense. Returned to Seoul by the night train.
16
5th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
17
Went to the Korean supper given by Y. to a party of American visitors one of whom was Miss Irene Mott, a daughter of Dr. J. R. Mott. She could not come but the rest of the party seemed to enjoy the evening.
18
Under the Terauchi's regime, notorious 挾雜輩 (or social sharks) made themselves scarce. But since the introduction of civil regime so called, there sharks have been conspicuous figures in the Korean society. 鄭應卨, 洪洟鉉, 沈冝性 are fair samples of these rascals.
19
What has Baron Saito given to compensate for the restoration of this evil?
21
6th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
22
Mr. and Mrs. Cromwel of Philadelphia who were present at the supper last night invited Messrs. Yi Sang Chai, Brockman, Cynn to luncheon at the Chosen Hotel, I was happy to be there also, just to meet Miss Irene Mott toward whom I felt as if she were one of the members of my own family. Her frank and kindly face, her simple yet refined manner set her off at one glance as a superior woman. After meal coffee was served in Mr. Cromwel's room. He and the ladies listened with real interest to our views of the Korean situation.
23
Surprise No I. Mr. Cromwel actually smoked cigarettes before the ladies―Mrs. Brockman, Miss Mott and his wife. Surprise NoⅡ. He offered cigarettes to the ladies. Is this one of the after war improvements?
25
7th. Thursday. Beautiful.
26
At 2:30 p.m. Miss Irene Mott and Mrs. Brockman came to our house to see how Koreans live. She seemed very much pleased with everything she saw. I was certainly happy to see her in my home to meet my mother, wife and children.
27
What a contrast between Miss Irene, Mr. and Mrs. Cromwel. The latter, the daughter of a millionaire and the wife, a rich young man impressed me as a light society woman who hasn't got very serious ideas or ideals while Miss M. seemed to look up on life not as a toy but as a responsibility. I have seldom met a young woman who impresses me so favorably by her manners and looks as did Miss Mott. God bless her!
28
Left Seoul for 天安 with cousins 致旿 and 致昭.
30
8th. Friday. Beautiful.
31
Had a nice rest in the office of Mr. 李. After an early breakfast we took rickshaws for 溫陽 to attend the funeral service of our aunt.
32
The grave site being near the home of our aunt the funeral procession didn't have much distance to travel. Such noise; so much wailing―mostly for show―; so may times of sacrificial offerings. About 500 persons to feed three times a day. The funeral expenses of a Korean often bankrupt him. In short a Korean funeral may be summed up in three words―meaningless ceremonies; tearless lamentations; senseless expenses. The Confucian worthies racked their brains to make the mourners look as frightful as possible―their theory being that the children are responsible for the death of their parents. What fools! Returned to Seoul by the night train.
34
9th. Saturday. Beautiful. (TABLE)
35
==Negroes in U.S.==Koreans in Korea.==
36
==1. The White people of America owes nothing to the Negro for their civilization.==1. Is there anything, in religion, science, art, literature, that Japan does not owe to Korea for their introduction?==
37
==2. The Negro, is physical appearance and mental capacities, is inferior to the White.==2. In physical appearance and mental capacities the Korean is a perfect equal with the Japanese.==
38
==3. The Negro was brought to America as slaves to be employed as beasts for burden.==3. The Koreans for centuries maintained diplomatic relations with Japan on equal footing.==
39
==4. When the Whites bought the Negro slaves they did not promise them (Negroes) anything but bare means of existence in exchange of their labor.==4. When the annexation was forced into effect―ever after that, the Japanese Emperor and the Government promised the Korean that he would be treated as kindly as the Japanese―the children of the same benevolent, fatherly Emperor.==
40
==5. The Negro never owned America.==5. The Koreans owned Korea.==
41
Many a Japanese writer points to the cruel discrimination of the Whites in America against the Negroes as a sort of excuse for the Japanese atrocities in Korea. Let us see.
43
10th. Sunday. Beautiful.
45
11th. Monday. Beautiful.
46
Left Seoul by 11 a.m. for 平澤 with 劉高原. Walked the entire distance between 平澤 and 新村, arriving home about 6 p.m. 劉高原 tells me that in 丙寅年(1866) he, then a schoolboy visited 南別營 where a man by the order of Tai Won Koon, tried to build a flying machine. The frame was made of rattan on the model of a Whangsai. The central part had a box like arrangement with shelves on which archers and sharp shooters were to be seated. The immense wings were covered with the feathers of the bird, glued to rattan ribs. It goes without saying that the machine never saw the light but idea was a remarkable one.
48
12th. Tuesday. Cloudy.
49
After breakfast went to 道谷 to pay my respect to the graves of grandfather and grandmother. Returned home rather tired.
50
One may be surprised to know that a great quantity of last years rice is still left in the country. My cousin 致昭, Viscount Min Yong Hui and a few others are among those who failed to dispose of their rice―to their loss. When unhulled rice quoted 13 sen per Kin they waited for 14 or 15 sen until the price took the down hill course. Now they can't find a buyer even at 4 or 5 sen per kin. Mr. 林喆榮 tells me that in 丁丑年(1876) the year after a record famine old rice glutted the market. The phenomenon is perfectly explicable by the operation of human nature.
52
13th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
53
Today is the 70th birthday of my aunt.
54
Mr. Han Jin Chang firmly believes that the Ex-Emperor of Korea was poisoned. Proofs 1. The Emperor who enjoyed perfect health died inside of half an hour after he had taken the 食醯 or sweet rice water, in violent contortion. 2. His limbs were so swallen in a day or two that his spacious Korean trousers had to be slit open to take them (trousers) off. 3. When Min Yong Tal and others tried to wash the inside of the Emperor's mouth with medicated cotten they found the tongue had actually disappeared while the teeth had all dropped out of their sockets. 4. A streak of black mark about a foot long extend from the throat to the abdomen. 5. Two palace waiting women died mysteriously soon after the tragedy. Mr. Min Yong Tal who, with Min Yong Hui, Na Sei When and Kang Suk Ho, performed 殮 ing the body, told Mr. Han these details.
56
14th. Thursday. Beautiful.
57
Left 新村 after breakfast for 平澤 station. There by 3:30 p.m. train returned to Seoul.
58
Taxes are being increased by leaps and bounds. Cousin 致昭 who used to pay no more than 30 sen per annum as house tax in the village of 新村 is assessed to pay ￥180.00 a year. Of course 30 sen was too cheap but ￥180.00 is too great a jump.
59
Money famine is so great that people fear this year of good crops will prove more disastrous to the Korean farmers than the famine of last year.
61
15th. Friday. Beautiful.
62
Received an anonymous letter demanding ￥1,000(00/100) in the name of the Korean Republic―the money to be sent in an envelope addressed to―秀 at the British Bible Society (聖書 公會) . I am puzzled to know: 1. Is this a real demand from a real agent of the Provisional Government so called? 2. Is this simply a trick some fellow is playing to get the Bible Society into trouble? 3. Is it only a kind of feeler to find out what I might do―by a spy or an agitator? 4. Suppose the letter a sure enough one―suppose the an were to be caught somewhere and sometime and confess that he had written to me―will it not expose me to the suspicion of the police?
64
16th. Saturday. Beautiful.
66
Received a letter from 致旺 dated 8th September.
67
He writes me that he would not seek to be engaged to another girl until he had settled the question satisfactorily with his wife here first. He will find his wife more than his match in negotiations of that kind. She believes a yangban should never work―having servants for everything.
68
The idea of summum bonum of a Korean woman is that she should do no work but only lounge (or lie down) all day long with her dress all untied and have children and servants to massage her day and night.
70
17th. Sunday. Beautiful.
71
Worshipped at 宗橋 Church. Mr. Kim Yu Sin told me that 21 Bible women of the Pyong Yang Methodist Church had been arrested on the charge of having forwarded money to the Provisional Government and that the women had been subjected to tortures. An aged woman, the mother of Pastor Sohn was so fearfully tortured that she is not expected to service the ordeal.
72
A rally of the Sunday School children of Seoul at the Y. auditorium to welcome the party of S.S. delegated who are in the city on their way to China from Tokyo. Mr. Eagle of Kansas gave a good talk in the evening service at 宗橋 Church. I interpreted. After church I took him to 勝洞 Presbyterian Church where Paster 金益斗 has been holding a remarkable series of revival services during the last few days.
74
18th. Monday. Beautiful.
75
The inside story of the annexation is a little book written by Mr. Komaku who enjoyed the confidence of Marquis I to and of Count Terauchi. He makes much of the petition of the Il-Chin Hoi(An Association of Korean renegades led by notorious 李容九, and 宋秉畯) presented to the Japanese Government to annex Korea and the unanimity of the then Korean cabinet in favor of the political murder of the Korean people. The truth is that the Il Chin Hoi no more represented the sentiment of the Korean nation than the "rickshaw" coolies of Tokyo could represent the sentiment of Japan, while the Cabinet under the thumb of Japan had no more right to sell Korea than the General Secretaries of the Central Y.M.C.A of Seoul has to sell the Y.M.C.A. buildings. Why don't say that Japan wanted Korea and therefor she annexed her and be done with it?
77
19th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
78
By 11:50 a.m. train left Seoul for Song Do. Arriving at Song Do Station about 3 p.m. went straight to the Holston Girl School to interprete for three American Sunday School deligates who are visiting the city. Came home about 5 p.m. Candler had left for Seoul this morning―saw him at 金村 Station.
79
8 p.m. went to the Northward Church to interprete for the American visitors. One of them, Mr. Carter spoke to a packed house. Also a meeting at the Southward Church. Returned home after 11 in the night. Gave the―秀 letter to 邊壎 to avoid any future complications.
81
20th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
82
Song Do. home. On the 16th inst. nearly a million coal miners struck in England. Will England ride safely through the great storm? I do hope so. If England becomes a prey to the abominable Bolshevism of Russia, there is hardly any hope for the world. If England succumbs to Bolshevism neither education, nor parliament, nor religion nor common sense, has any value to save men from their beastly passions of hatred and greed and selfishness.
84
21st. Thursday. Beautiful.
85
Song Do home. A writer in 中外時論, after refreshing his soul with a liberal tirade against the militaristic, aggressive and hypocritical America, has this to say about Japan. "We Japanese are a people who don't like shouting justice, humanity, charity and liberty with our mouths, but who love to practice these virtues in our deeds. We sacrificed untold amount of money and life for the preservation of the integrity of Chinese Empire" etc. This kind of jingoistic ranting reminds me of a vender of cheap shirts in the night-market (夜市) . "Gentlemen" he shouted "Don't imagine that I am selling these shirts for my own benefit. I am a man of means; and after having eaten a hearty supper I was under no obligation to come out here shouting myself hoarse but for the sense of duty that compelled me to deny myself for the good of the public. Gents, buy these shirts ￥100 a piece. Quick or you may never again meet with such an opportunity in thousand years!" Everybody was amused but nobody believed in what the altruistic vender said.
87
22nd. Friday. Beautiful.
88
Song Do home. 7 p.m. went to Northward Church to see 高敏龍 married.
90
23rd. Saturday. Beautiful.
91
Left Song Do per 11:50 a.m. train for Seoul. Arrived home nearly 4 p.m. So glad to have 文姬 and 恩姬 to meet me at the station.
92
A letter from 柳相夏 tells me that the police authorities of 鎭安 magistracy has issued orders that landlords should take 40 percent to the tenants! These Japs are trying to buy the good will of the Korean tenants at the expense of the Korean landlords.
93
The Japanese authorities never say a boo to the Japanese landlords who simply skin the Korean tenants.
95
24th. Sunday. Beautiful.
96
Worshipped at 宗嬌 Church. Lunch at Mr. Ryang's house. He has just returned from a trip to Vladivostok via Harbin: He said:
97
1. The Koreans in Vladivostok etc. are between the deep and the devil―the Chinese and Russian bandits and the Japanese. The Koreans having been unarmed by the Japanese have no means of defending themselves against the bandits.
98
2. The Japanese have such an overwhelming military force there that the Russians are perfectly helpless to cope with them.
99
3. The Russian bank notes having no gold backing are exchanged at the rate of 15 hundred rubles for one Japanese Yen.
101
25th. Monday. Pretty.
102
Pastor Kim Ik Too (金益斗) has been holding wonderful meeting in the Song Dong Presbyterian Church. He hold 4 services a day beginning at 6 a.m. Some remarkable cures have been effected by his prayers. The Church has been a kind of hospital filled with people afflicted with various kinds of ailment.
103
For the last few days collections have been called for. Women threw their gold hair pins, finger rings and other trinkets into the collection bags days and nights. Some brought new suits of silk clothes. A proof that a man of real and vivid faith and God realizing prayers can work miracles in all ages and in all countries.
105
26th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
106
Laid up in bed with a cold. Many Koreans look forward to next year for something great to happen. Lately some fellow placarded the following prophecy at the prominent places in the city―長安 二道中에 三角山下 널흔 天地 四時長天 놀줄 알고 五倫을 打破하고 六曺를 改革한 바 七山 바다 온다. 八字 조흔 鄭道令이 九年 大正 打破하니 十年積功處事로다. 百姓들아 千尋萬歲 불러보세. This was given me by 邊壎 from memory. I don't know now correct it is. It is the sign of a weak degenerate people to look for some extraordinary help from somewhere, ignoring the eternal fact that it is the honest discharge of our daily ordinary duties that really save us and make us great.
108
27th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
109
Laid up in bed. Mr. F.M. Brockman came and showed me a letter from Mr. Phelps of TokyoY.M.C.A. The National Committee of Japanese Y.M.C.A seem to be anxious to carry out the letter of the Agreement of Affiliation entered into in 1913 by the leaders of the Y. movements of Japan and Korea. They insist that: 1. The National Committee should have the power of final decision in the apportionment of the money that America may send out. 2. Any changes in the Constitution or fundamental principles of program of the Association Movement in Korea should be approved by the National Committee of Japan. 3. All negotiations with the International Committee of N.Y. should be conducted through the channels of the Japanese National Committee.
110
Even granting for the sake of argument, that the contentions of the Japanese Committee are based on the Agreement, this is no time to force the question to the front. If the Y.M.C.A. Movement in Korea which has so far enjoyed a comparative autonomy, were known to be tied up to the Japanese Y. Movement, one of two things will happen; either the Y.M.C.A. work in Korea will be deserted and killed or the Korean leaders will be forced to cancel the Agreement. Letting a harmless Agreement alone is far better than converting it into a hate breeding disagreement.
112
28th. Thursday. Beautiful.
113
Cough no better-still in bed. Had 梁柱三 and 金裕淳 at lunch with me.
115
29th. Friday. Beautiful.
116
Cough no better―in bed. It is interesting to speculate on now and then, what Korea might have become and how the Koreans would have fared, had the Tai Whang Jay kept his power during the last 15 years! Trough my personal knowledge his palace and government would have been crowded with the vilest, cruelest and most damnable rascals of whom Yi Yong Ik, Yi Ji Yong and Min Yong Chul were fair specimens. 2. The whole country would have been infested with bandits and highway men so neither life nor property would have been secure anywhere. 3. Governors, magistrates, soldiers and policemen would have worse than bandits and highway men in their exactions and barbarities. 4. Foreign adventurers―American, Japanese, French, Russian would have seized every kind of natural resources―mines, forests, fishery,―in the name of concessions. Everything worth having-customs, revenues etc.―would have been mortgaged, to the parties who paid highest bribes to the Emperor and his dirty minions. 5. Japan would have taken good care to keep down any revolutionary movement that might have introduced a saner government. Would Korea have been a better home for the Koreans today than it is, had the Tai Whang Jay enjoyed his abused power during the last 15 years?
118
30th. Saturday. Beautiful.
119
Cough no better―in bed. Candler returned from a trip to Hong Chun.
121
31th. Sunday. Cloudy a.m.
122
Cough a little better.
123
Neither 朝鮮日報 nor 東亞日報, the two Korean dailies which were suspended for being too anti-Japanese, seems to show any sign of a near resurrection. It is rumored, and I almost believe it, that the 有志者 or "patriots who ran these organs of "free press" so squandered the money which the shareholders had paid in that they had no means to keep them (the Papers) going.
124
Even if this were not true, the violent and rabid anti-Japanese articles with which the papers catered to the passions of the Korean people made one believe that the so called patriots cared more for cheap popularity than for the real good of the people. The Koreans are in need of wisdom and discipline.
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