The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-09-11
Womans Rights IN japan.

II is about iitnc for the woman's right people to
seni = depu,atioa Of miszi0naries 10 japan The
japanese have adopted. with a singular ami impru-
lent zeal, most Of the manners and customs q
America and Europe. They have already an ire
deemable paper currency; and they have even a
writer out there who is as brilliantly ignorant as
General Carey in Ohio. for be recently replied TO a
complaint about the paper currency -" If you had
more sense you would see that this saves the whole
expense Of q metallic currency, which is, Of course,
so much silver and gold purchased by labor, but
used only for the purpose Of facilitating exchanges
They have not only railroads. but also a ring seeking
government subsidies for building more. They have
begun 8 representative government AMI a psrlia-
ment, and they display > strong natural taste for
sparkling wines.
But they stop when they are sskel TO treat women
after the European or American fashion. So far
from giving women. more rights they declare that the
sex has already more than IL deserves \ japanese
journalist thus grayely discourses on this matter -
If We lock into the theories Of Europeans on this
subject it would appear that the possession OF equal
power hy husband AMI wife Is based on natural
reason. But if We observe the practice of Europe
ans it would appear that the power of the wife Is
greater than that of the husband, and that this error
has been brought about by the want of a correct
view Of the dictates Of nature. We will point out
examples of this. In going through a door the wife
passes first and the husband follows her; the wife
takes the best seat and the husband the next best
In visiting the wife is first saluted; in forms Of adj
dress the wife is first mentioned. Moreover. while
men are in the company of ladies they must be par
ticular in their conversation, and are not permitted
to smoke without the ladies' permission being first
obtained. These and like customs are ~innumerable,
and the power of the women is far greater than that
Of the men.
II ladies' do not like tobacco smoke, he adds, they
ought to leave the room when pipes are lit. He
thinks the whole question of the position and rights
of women very serious, and refers it to the wise men
of the country -
The equality of rights between husband and wife
is much misunderstood, and the men idolize their
wives for the purpose of pleasing them. And this is
the reason why some of the celebrated women of
Europe have behaved in a manner which it pains us
even to hear of and which is terrible. At present
there is much discussion in this country as to the
relations which should exist between men and wo-
men. 1t is well, therefore, that our learned men
should take this into consideration, otherwise the
power of the other sex will grow gradually, and
eventually become so overwhelming that it will be
impossible to control it. Ye learned men, what are
your views?
The woman's rights people will see that there is a
subtle insult in this last question-Wha do the
learned men think Rather, What do the learned
women think? would be the question here.