St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-15


whether they are as vIrtuOus as our wO-
men, that is question: as to whether
their happiness is as elevated or their
SORROWS are of the same exalted and re-
fined pOignancy as of their American
sisters, we doubt if any discussion can
settle SO great and vague a question;
while in any case the maxim is as good
now as in Grevy's time: "Where ignor-
ance is bliss tits folly to be wise" AS
to whether these same Oriental women
will be as happy in the next world as
our women because of different cOndi-
tons or religions here, we do not feel
competent to decide, SO long as the
punditS of AndOver disagree upon
subject that is permanently settled
anew every 200 or 800 years.
1t should be considered, in regard to
the servitude of Persian or Turkish
women who enter the harem by pur-
chase. that they would have but little
choice il they married by free will, not
knowing their husbands previously, and
if their dowry is small they must marry
poor men and work hard all their lives;
whereas, if they are purchased, it would
naturally be by men of means, and they
would have an excellent chance of
reaching higher position and greater
luxury under his roof than as the wives
of peasants. | am afraid these observa-
lions will meet with only limited ap-
prevail by some of. the fair apostles of
woman'S rights, and all that the term
i'll their mind implies. But there are
two sides to every question, and millions
of Oriental women would heartily agree
with the sentiments expressed here,
while. naturally. there is some discon-
tent there as there is everywhere.
AS to other forms of service resemb-
Ct Cfi1 SCti
are gradually falling into ''innocuous
desuetude," is the serfdom of the peas
antry; but they began years ago to do
away with this in practice, although not
exactly formulating such diSuSe in the
expressive language employed by the
president of the United States. The
chief feature Of Persian Serfdom is the
obligation of the peasant to belong to
the village or estate where he was born.
The villages either form part of the
royal demcsnes, or they are given as APP
pendageS to the wives of the shah, his
sons, and other grandees to furnish them
with revenues, or they are owned in fee
simple by men Of wealth, and then are
transferable by sale or otherwise. The
royal lands are never sold. The peasantry
go with the estate, and are assigned lands
to cultivate on shares with the pro-
prietOr. They may not change their
residence without his permission, nor
travel at all about the country. Such is
the law of Persia. But the law has been
gradually falling into allegiance, and it
will not be many years before it will be
dead letter. 1t should not be assumed,
however, that the Persian serf has been
worse off than the peasantry of Europe,
or the Serfs of Russia. He is of a gail
lard temperament, his wants are few in
that benign climate, his habits are
thrifty. and except in exceptional years,
when the crops fail. he is not more OPP
pressed than peasantry elsewhere.
Owing to the climate, his hours of labor
for six months are few; at midday he
can lie under the trees and sleep two or
| three hours, or under the patriarchal
palm tree in the village, smoke his
kalian and listen to the strolling must
clan or story-teller. Owing to the same
climate his crop is growing while he
sleeps, and at the end of the season he
has, with less labor, raised more grain
or fruit than peasant in Europe, or a
farmer in the United States.