Show I SAYS REPORTS WERE UNTRUE Burham White Stevens Takes Up tile the Cudgels for Japan I ITO IS LIKED BY KOREANS TREATY NOT FORCED UPON HER HERMIT HERMIT MIT KINGDOM Washington Dec a private letter to a frIend in this city Burham White Stevens diplomatic adviser to the Korean government comments as follows upon recent reports that the treaty establishing a Japanese protectorate protectorate was extorted by force In Seoul he says we learn that curIously distorted accounts of at the oc occurrences occurrences of the night of Nov 17 have been telegraphed to America and Europe One In particular to the Ber BerUn Berlin Un lin Is especially men mendacious mendacious It speaks of the tragedy In Seoul of which reports have come from quarters and as asserts asserts that Marquis Ito together with Minister Hayashi and General Hase Hasegawa Hasegawa gawa accompanied by a large contin contingent contingent gent of Japanese troops forced the emperor to sign a new treaty which they had prepared and brought with them that the Korean ministers had fled fied from the palace In order not to affix the seal of state to a document which robbed their country of in independence Independence dependence that Japanese soldiers were sent after them and that they were forcibly brought back and order ordered ed to affix their seals The account closes with the statement that this violent act has led to tumults among the people China Gazette Story Another dispatch to the China Gazette Shanghai states that Mr accompanied by a file of sol soldiers diem diers went to the residence of the min minister mm ister of foreign affairs and forcibly brought the seal of the foreign office to the palace where the Japanese min minister mm ister himself used it to seal the treaty Possibly other canards equally silly sUly have gained circulation at home and therefore knowing your interest in eastern matters I feel sure you would like the facts Marquis Ito came from Tokio with an autograph letter to the emperor of Korea from the emperor of Japan Its tone and purport were well calculated to demonstrate Japans friendly intentions intentions and to soothe Korean susceptibilities The choice of an envoy more moreover moreover over was decidedly happy as Marquis Ito Is especially persona grata to the emperor of Korea He came here on ona ona a somewhat similar mission at the be beginning beginning ginning the the war and several times since to my personal knowledge has been urgently requested by the em emperor emperor to repeat the visit Ito a FaIr Man His reputation for fairdealing and considerate regard for Korean rights as aswell aswell well as for Or Korean susceptibilities have earned him a high place In the emperors estimation On this occa occasion sion sian lie he presented the autograph letter i at a formal audience and several days later had a private audience of over four hours duration He explained the I situation and Japans wishes fully to the emperor and the latter agreed In principle to the propositions which the marquis stated would be formally sub submitted submitted later on by the Japanese min minister mm inter ister The emperor stated that the de decision decision regarding the details of the new arrangement would be left to his cab cabInet met Inet and gave orders that the latter should consult with the Japanese min minIster mm Ister Conferences then be between between tween the cabinet and Mr Hayashi the last one by mutual agreement and andin andIn in accordance with the emperors order taking place at the palace All of the cabinet ministers came to this meet meeting meeting ing in accordance with the pre prearranged prearranged arranged plan and there were no sol soldiers diers Korean forming g the p palace guard The Japa Japanese nese minister with his secretaries and Interpreters attended and there was wasa a fun full and frank discussion of all of the details of the proposed treaty Ul Ultimately Marquis Ito was asked at attend and he came accompanied by General Hasegawa but unattended by any soldIers save the smaller body guar of half a dozen gendarmes who go about with him everywhere in Seoul I Vote of Six to Two The discussion then proceeded for several hours amendments were pro proposed proposed posed b by the Korean cabinet and ac acce accepted ce ted and finally the amended form was agreed to by a majority of six out of eight members of the cabinet Thereupon the treaty was signed and sealed by the minister of foreign at af affairs fairs in conformity with the direct order of the emperor DurIng all these proceedings there was no show of force and no unseemly exhibition of any kind whatever The emperor was not per personally personally present during the conference but as is the custom remained In his private rooms whence he communicated ted his wishes through the minister of the household or by one or another of the minister summoned to his presence from time to time Perhaps the fact that at Marquis farewell audience this afternoon the emperor earnestly requested him to defer his departure which the marquis has consented to do somewhat agaInst his own wishes as I happen to Know KnowIs Is the best commentary one could make upon these alleged outrages upon the emperor and his cabinet The alleged rape of the seal belongs to the same mythIcal category as the theother theother other story It was brought to the pal paI palace ace nce from the foreign office where It Is kept by the clerk who has custody of 01 it in obedience to the orders given personally by the minister of foreIgn affairs d to Set Japan Right I have a m much ch longer letter upon you than I intended but only so II because I desired you to know my views regarding what seems to me a i deliberate attempt not emanating I from a Korean source to put Japan In Ina ina a false position Of course there was o opposition in Korea to the tho treaty It II IIo would be foolish to deny that patent fact But there is no such thing as popular opposition In the sense in which we understand the word in America There is fi opposition among the official classes a great deal of It opposition based upon motives with which we can sympathize al although although though we may know them to bo be mis mistaken mistaken taken From the Japanese standpoint some greater measure ot of control over Ko Korean Korean rean affairs was imperatively necessary nary sary Here is the responsibility of introducing and enforcing reforms and of doing aU all those things for Koreas good which her own rulers have seemed Impotent to It is not a task which Japan has under undertaken undertaken taken willingly but solely because she has been forced to It But having un undertaken it and having assumed the responsibility It seems to nia mo that of right as wen well as of necessity she is entitled to possess the means for doing I those things which the world expects he her to do In Korea I |