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 in this caprice, and it is possible that he may have amused himself now and then in listening to the extravaganzas of these spirit mediums, but that he gave any more heed to them than any other educated Korean gentleman would is incredible. This sort of talk belongs in the category of those racy accounts given by tourists, who move heaven and earth to get an audience with the Emperor, and then come home to criticise the quality of his wines and sneer at his manners.

The Koreans have been called a people of inferior intelligence, but the truth is that in pure diplomacy, finesse, they have outwitted the Japanese at every point during the past quarter of a century. In 1884, in 1894, in 1904 the Koreans outmanoeuvred the Japanese in diplomacy, and it was only by coming in with the sword that the latter carried her point. At the beginning of the last war Korea received from Japan a definite promise to preserve the independence of the Korean government. Japan felt called upon to give this guarantee because she needed something in return, namely, the passivity of the Korean people and their good will during the war. Korea believed the promise, but when the need of keeping her quiet had passed Japan by an act of unparalleled treachery proved that her word was not as good as Russia's; for while Russia's retention of Manchuria was only the postponement of a promised evacuation, the seizure of Korea was an absolute and unblushing refusal to pay, for favours shown, the price that had been definitely agreed upon. There is no sophism that can evade this fact.

Attention must be called to the way the Emperor of Korea has always treated Americans and American interests. Nothing has been too good for us. We have had the best gold-mining concession, the first railroad concession, the leading place in education, the unbounded confidence of both King and people. We built the first electric tramway and lighting plant. We obtained the important concession for supplying the city of Seoul with a modern water system. All these things have been given us almost without the asking. Nowhere in the world has there