Page:The passing of Korea.djvu/222

 vent this grain from being taken out of the country the government proclaimed an embargo on its export. In spite of the fact that Japan was enjoying an unusually good crop and did not really need the Korean product, the Japanese authorities, in the interest of the Japanese exporters in Korea, brought pressure to bear upon the Korean government to raise the embargo, utterly regardless of the interests of the Korean people. As it turned out, however, the enhanced price in Korea, due to the famine, and the cutting of a full crop in Japan, prevented the export of rice. But Yi Yong-ik saw that there would inevitably be a shortage in Seoul, and with much forethought he sent and imported a large amount of Annam rice, and put it on the market at a price so reasonable that the people were highly gratified. From that time on whenever the mistakes of Yi Yong-ik were cited there was always someone to offer the extenuation of that Annam rice. It was a most clever and successful appeal to popular favour.

As the year 1901 came to a close, the tension was beginning to be felt. People were asking how much longer Japan would acquiesce in the insolent encroachments of Russia. But the time was not yet. As for material advances, the year had seen not a few. Seoul had been supplied with electric light. The SeoulFusan Railway had been begun. Plans for the Seoul-Wiju Railway had been drawn up. Mokpo had been supplied with a splendid sea-wall. Building had gone on apace in the capital, and even a scheme for a system of water-works for the city had been worked out and had received the sanction of the government. Education had gone from bad to worse, and at one time, when retrenchment seemed necessary, it was even suggested to close some of the schools, but better counsels prevailed, and this form of suicide was rejected.

With the opening of the year 1902 there were several indications that the general morale of the government was deteriorating. The first was a very determined attempt to revive the Buddhist cult. The Emperor consented to the establishment of