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THE GIFT OF
Dr. James B. Angell


So he raises only the little rice he requires for food and devotes the re-
mainder of his time to resting.
The introduction of foreign goods is making the situation worse
instead of better. The Koreans formerly grew their own cotton, and
wove from it on hand looms the cloth for the ubiquitous white flowing
garment of the common people, while the silk worn by the better classes
was also produced at home. Now English cotton and Japanese silk
are flooding the country, and the indolent people find it easier to buy
them than to make their own. In like manner they are buying other
foreign goods—pipes, tobacco, lamps and more and more of the utensils
which they used to manufacture for themselves. But they have nothing
to export to balance these imports. They are not energetic or a manu-
facturing people like the Japanese. There are some mines and forests,
but concessions to work the one and cut the other have been granted to
American, British and Russian companies, and the product goes to
foreign owners, while the price of the concession is squandered, by
corrupt officials, so that the people derive no benefit. Thus Korea is
being drained of her money. It is all outgo and no income.
The condition of the country is reflected in the chaotic state of the
currency. It is enough to give a foreigner nervous prostration. It is
of: two kinds, Korean and Japanese. The Korean coins are a large
copper one, called a cash, with a square hole in the middle, and consid-
ered as one "cash" in the country and five "cash" in Seoul, but having
the same purchasing power in both city and country; a smaller copper
coin of the same value, a one-cent piece, also copper, and worth five
country cash and twenty-five Seoul cash, and a five-cent nickel piece
worth twenty-five country cash and a hundred and twenty-.five Seoul
cash. Many commodities, however, are estimated by the "yang," which
is said to be one hundred cash of either kind. There is no Korean coin
larger than the five-cent piece, and at the present rate of exchange one
hundred cents Korean are worth thirty-seven cents gold.
The Japanese pieces in circulation are a half penny, a penny and a
two-cent piece, all copper; a five-cent nickel piece, twenty and fifty cent
silver pieces, a dollar in both silver and paper, and five, ten and twenty
dollar pieces in both paper and gold, though the last mentioned is so
far beyond the range of ordinary transactions that one is almost as help-
less with it as if he had nothing at all. The gold value of all Japanese
currency is one-half its face value; that is, the dollar, or "yen," as it is
called, is equal to fifty cents gold. But when I traveled among the
country villages I found that no bills of any denomination were ac-
cepted. "How can a piece of paper be worth anything?" queried the
simple-minded villagers. So we had to take a supply of copper cash,
which nearly loaded a donkey. Silver, however, was readily accepted,
and was so eagerly desired that, in Pyeng Yang, I had to pay 2£ per
cent, premium to get a supply of dollars. But when I returned to
Chemulpo the railway officials preferred bills, and would only take my
silver yen pieces at 10 per cent, discount, while in Seoul the Japanese
bank accepted them at ninety-seven cents each. Some time before I die
I hope to have leisure to figure out just what my Korea expenses really
were.
The general poverty appears in the architecture. In the more pre-
tentious buildings, as in the Imperial Palace and the yamens of the Gov-
ernors and Magistrates, it follows Chinese lines. But however won-
derful they may be in the eyes of a Korean, to a foreigner they are hum-
ble enough. A country merchant in America lives in a better house than
the Emperor of Korea, while hundreds of stables at home are as attract-
ive as the official residence of the Governor of a province. The build-
ings are not only plain, but dilapidated in appearance. It never occurs
to a Korean to make repairs, and so on every side and even in palaces
and temples one sees crumbling walls and dirty courtyards. The houses
of the people are usually a rude but strong framework of poles—always
crooked, for straight trees are rare—with walls of millet stalks, fastened
2


missionaries on this point, for they thoroughly understand its impor-
tance. They are on friendly personal terms with the Government and
its officials, and they are determined that by no act of theirs and by no
rashness of the Koreans whom they can control, shall the Church be
led into a position which would surely result in tumult, persecution, and
perhaps irretrievable disaster.
Our treaties, except in the most favored nation clause, do not
recognize the right of our missionaries to permanently reside or to own
property outside of the places which have been formally opened to
trade. Fusan, Seoul and Pyeng Yang are such ports; but Taiku and
Syen Chyun and all other outstations, as well as the stations of several
other Boards, are not. By Article IV., Section 6, of the Treaty with
England, it is stipulated that "British subjects are also authorized to
travel in Korea for pleasure, or for purpose of trade to transport and
sell goods of all kinds, except books and other printed matter disap-
proved by the Korean Government, and to purchase native produce in
all parts of the country, under passports which will be issued by their
consuls and countersigned or sealed by the Korean local authorities.
These passports, if demanded, must be produced for examination in the
districts passed through." Violation of this provision involves a pen-
alty of $100. "The most favored nation clause," of course, extended
this privilege to Americans. But as recently as 1890 an American desir-
ing to travel in the interior could only secure a passport by taking oath
that he would not proselyte, and that his object was simply travel and
study. France, however, obtained a more liberal treaty, and our United
States Minister, by taking advantage of the ever-convenient "most
favored nation clause" secured release from this oath for American citi-
zens and the right to reside wherever any other foreigners reside. As
the Japanese are ubiquitous in the land of the Morning Calm, as they
boldy acquire property wherever they please, and as Korea does not
attempt to expel them, that old stand-by, "the most favored nation
clause" enables us to claim for Americans the toleration which is per-
force accorded the belligerent Japanese. Korea, therefore, is practically
an open country.
There is no serious probability that our present privilege of virtually
free residence and ownership will be curtailed. Korea can never be a
hermit nation again. But it is just as well to remember that foreigners
living and prosecuting missionary work outside the treaty ports are
doing so without the sanction of treaties, and that while they are not
likely to be disturbed they will be wise in avoiding, as far as possible, ap-
peals to the Korean magistrates and to the United States Minister which
are apt to force the legal recognition of a technically illegal residence.
But whatever may be thought of the official classes we should not fail
to do justice to the many good qualities of the Korean people. They are
undoubtedly a weaker race than the Japanese and Chinese. But the
weakness is chiefly the result of subjection to foreign domination and
to despairing acquiescence in misgovernment and oppression. The su-
perior power of neighboring nations has taught them dependence. The
cruel exactions of tax gatherers have fostered deceit, and the certainty
that they would not be allowed to enjoy the fruits of toil has naturally be-
gotten indolence. But the Koreans are not lacking in intelligence, and
with a good government, a fair chance and a Christian basis of morals
they would develop into a fine people.
The anti-foreign feeling which is so noticeable in China does not
appear to exist in Korea. True, only a generation ago (1866) there was
a furious anti-foreign outbreak, and about 20,000 Roman Catholic
Christians were killed. But now the overt dislike of foreigners is prac-
tically confined to a few officials and the old conservative Confucian
scholar class, which is naturally more or less sullen under the spread of
new ideas. The attempt to create an anti-foreign crusade last winter
resulted in an inglorious fiasco. There was indeed a temporary commo-
tion when it was discovered that, on November 20, 1900, a secret cir-
7


cially to prepare natives to become self-supporting teachers of
others, without removing them from their various callings.
"Art. IV.—The various members of the Mission having
charge of sub-stations shall invite the leaders, helpers and native
agents, and others whom they see fit, to attend these classes
nearest to their respective sub-stations, and report those who
will attend to the leader of the class.
"Art. V.—Except under special circumstances, only those in-
vited by a member of the Mission shall be allowed to attend
these classes.
"Art. VI.—It shall be the policy of the Mission to encourage
the Korean Christians to defray the expenses of these classes
as far as possible."
But the Mission justly realizes that this is not enough. It must have
a more adequate system of schools. Plans, however, are yet largely
inchoate. The general idea of the Mission is to have an academy at
each station. But Fusan, Taiku, and, of course, Syen Chyun are yet too
young for this. Seoul and Pyeng Yang, however, should have
institutions at once, while Taiku should not be postponed too long.
With the completion of the railroad an institution there might serve for
Fusan also, as the two stations will be only four or five hours apart.
Pyeng Yang is farthest advanced in this respect. An academy started
in 1899 now occupies a building admirably adapted to its purpose. The
students are expected to be self-supporting on the Park College plan.
While, therefore, there will be an industrial department—farming, gar-
dening, printing, blacksmithing and the making of various articles used
by the people of Korea—it will not be an industrial school, the object of
this department being not to teach trades, but to help students to sup-
port themselves while pursuing those studies which will fit them for
Christian work. Mr. Baird says: "It has already been proved that a
good class of Korean boys are willing to avail themselves of the oppor-
tunities of an industrial department in order to secure the benefits of a
Christian education. This is of immense importance, because unless
bright, capable Christian pupils are willing to support themselves by
their labor while securing their education, it would be necessary, unless
we wish the peril of an illiterate ministry and an illiterate church, either
that the future preachers and leaders should be supported by the
Church, native or foreign—a process tending to pauperization—or else
that we would have to look only to the sons of the rich for our future
leaders, a class from which ministers do not mostly come in any land.
Self-supporting pupils on mission fields have been so rare in the majority
of cases that the support of boys and young men at foreign expense
has usually been thought necessary. I am profoundly convinced that
the effect of this system has been pernicious in many cases. I therefore
record as one of the greatest joys of the year the conviction, long held
as a hope, now known to be a fact, that Korean Christian boys are will-
ing to lay aside their aversion to work and the natural pride of the
scholar class and earn for themselves an education by hard, disagreeable
labor. Each pupil in this department works half of each day, for which
he is given his food. His clothes and books he provides himself. Nine-
teen pupils, or a little less than half of those enrolled, are now in the
industrial department. Three of the boys have taken an apprenticeship
in the pressroom, and can show considerable knowledge of the printer's
trade, besides 11,150 sheets of the Sabbath-school lessons, letters to
churches, hospital notices, etc. The other work done by the boys has
included working out by contract, roadmaking, teaching in the lower
schools, janitor and other service for the school, bookbinding, hat-
making, making straw rope and straw shoes, preparing materials for
the academy building, copying characters for the Sabbath-school les-
sons, etc. In all the work of the academy the1 minimum of expenditure
has been maintained, and the spirit of self-dependence fostered in every
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