The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-09
Infan ticide and TiEht shoes.
TCood Words
TUVOU VOKNos1
TN. 49,. =, -. .lstsA ssAA, - NLs..a IL a.

There are districts Of China where in
fanticide prevails 10 an Incredible ex-
tent-a murder of female children MAIN
ly. The higher estimate of women is
the product of Christian teaching, and
though women in China are compara-
lively free from seclusion, and have been
regents of the Empire, and eminent for
literary accomplishments, and although
a son pays profound regard to his moth
er, even the Emperor kneeling before
her, yet the woman is despised, and fe-
male life is cheap.
"When little girls die, allie same chick
en-" the Chinaman says; "when little
boy die, too bad" and Notwithstanding
that the travelling vaccinator charges a
shilling to vaccinate boy and only six
pence for a girl, parents will rather let
their girls run the risk than pay the
lower fee. Women will confess to the
number they have destroyed. An ayah
where we staid had killed two. A man
will sometimes carry the child in a bas-
ket along the road with perfect uncon-
cern, though his destination is the near.
est pond, and the babies pond is some.
times village institution, and "it is no
uncommon thing to see the bodies float.
ing upon its green Shiny surface"
Parents have been asked to take back
child that was exposed to die, and have
absolutely declined. There are districts
where only seventenths Of the female
children are kept alive, and others where
notwithstanding the immense emigration
of men, there are not enough women To
be wives for the men that are left. OF
course sin like this ceases in a Chris
tan congregation, but the reformation
is not stayed there, for in many neigh.
borhoods there is a growing repugnance
to the practice, a weighing Of it in quite
other scales, and what the protest ol
many of the best men in China failed tc
do is being already silently done by the
influence that spread from the mission
There is another practice far more
universal, but which some suppose to b,
connected with infanticide, the barba
rous fashion Of binding the feet, 80 as t
render them not only useless, but dis
eased; for girls thus treated are, Of course
a useless burden to their parents if no
married. The Chinese themselves hav
tried to deal with this habit. II is
huge tyranny Of fashion, and can no
even plead royalty in its favor, the pres
ent dynasty not binding the feet Of thei
women; while one Of the Emperors ever
issued an Intellectual edict against it, ant
would have issued another weighted witt
heavy penalties, but that his thron
would have been overturned.
/ The native churches are now takins
the matter in hand, and are here ant
there forming "Anti-foot-binding Socie
ties" and sometimes the matter is dis
cussed in the Church Synod. "Mr. z
can easily speak against it," said nativ
pastor, 'tfor he has no daughters; but
am not 50; it is in the hands of nay wife
and can not prevent it," and that real
ly touches the root Of the matter. It il
for the native Christian mothers to taxi
action as they are doing, and neither Il
torture their daughters, nor, "in selecting
wives for our sons, if the girl is intelli
gent and in other respects suitable, ,shoult
we reject her because she has larg
feet;" and the custom Of a thousaht
years, custom stronger than the throne
is already in some Christian centers yield
ing to the influence of Christian prin
ciple.