The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1889-07-26
WOMSH In IAPAH
They Have Always Occupied the Highest
Plane Of Amy Assstlc Women.

RANG OF any bs'allc omen.
In Japan, women have always held
a position superior to that OF their
Asiatic sisters. Their s~eclusion, even
in VIC old days, was not so strict.
They led Il frecr and more outdoor
life, and they were educated to a GER
tain extent. The hmily idea and
rule prevailed. and with the exquisite
pOliteness of those people exalted def
erence was paid the mother Of
the family. The Confuc an Laws
were recognized there as well,
and her duties and obligations were
strictly defined by them. Her three
great duties were obedience to her
father, her husband and eldest SOD. rs
they In turn became the head OF her
family.
Japanese women of the middle and
upper classes were taught TO read and
write the common language In the
hlrakanG, OF simple running charac-
tiers. instead OF the square characters
Of the classic language. All ~novels.
plays and newspapers are written In
the htrdkdnd, and women are still tho
great nOvel-readcr5 OF Japan. No
woman attended the theater before
marriage. and the upper classes not at
all. the realism and license Of the stage
being given as Il reason A JAPANESE
woman's education formerly comprised
endless lessons and practice in the
mysteries OF etiquette. learning to
play the koto and samson and to ar
range bouquets Women of literarytaste
were not uncommon at court. and the
screens in the Empress suite 10 the
old klOta palace are covered with au-
tograph poems dashed off by herself or
her ladies in waiting. The present
Empress OF Japan Is poetic in her
tastes and has shown o great interest
IN Western literature. 1t Is under her
lead that such reforms In the condl-
tlOD Of women have taken place, and
In tho court life she moves and acts as
any sovereign lndy OF q European
country.
Since 1870 new laws have been
made regarding the legal status OF
women in Japan, and the people are
still in transition between the old cu+
toms and tho new condition Of things,
Under the present laws women can
hold property. dispose of it and man
ago thctr affairs on much better terms
than are possible to the women Of
some European nations They can
testify n court, although they seldom
do 1t, old prcjud!ces not being sut1l-
cientiy overcome to allow q woman's
testimony to have much weight with
a japanese Judge.
The advancement of women has
been the most wonderful feature in
the progress Of Japan during the last
twenty years. fhe Empress Haru has
led most OF the movements, and found
ed institutions and schools destined TO
assist Japanese TO a higher
and more nearly equal intellectual and
social plane with men and with West
ern omo Besides these iustitu-
lions, the Empress is at the head OF
the Fujiu Kiotu Kwai. q society for
the advancement Of women. and ain.
Ing to secure them o higher social and
legal estate. Many Jnpencse men are
members of this society, and earnestly
devoted TO its ends. more especially
thase who. having occupied official
positions abroad. have had the oppoF-
tunity to 500 and fool how different
tho position Of the women OF their
own families has been In foreign coun.
tries compared to what they en-
ioved ut home, The lato Niscount
Mort. the Mi1istcr OF Education.
who was assuSsinated In Febru-
airy, 1889, was an ardent worker In
this cause lie organized Il society Of
literary men. the Mcirokusha. that
through Its publications urged the ad-
vancemcnt OF women and their eman-
cipation from the old customs and otl-
Quette, and Nlscount Morris great
point was tbs social and legal equality
OF men and women. lie was tho first
noble to make the ncw marriage ccro-
mony conspicuous, q civil contract
being drawn up before the Governor
of,Tokio, and signed by NiscoUnt Nor!
and Milo I1irose In his death the
women of Japan lost their lb.cst and
most nOuCrful chunnlDn
japanese women have been quick to
accept foreign methods OF instruction.
and prove themselves Intelligent and
faithful students. In the hospitals
and training schools for nurses they
show much ability, and take sat.stuo
tory standing. No ono among them
has yet aspired to be q student Of law.
and while there have been women
writer's OF novels. poems and dramas,
history tells OF but one portia, a mur-
deress who defended herself In court,
and won her acqutttal by the force
and e~loquence OF her arguments. The
exciting %melodrama OF her life and
trial is an old favorite with all theater-
goers.
The women Of Japan have always
occupied the highest plano Of any
Asiatic women. and the future prom
ises them q position and consideration
equal to that o! their American sis
ters Oriental and Occidental reform
ers con ask no mora-Harper's
ut srieves me to give you pain.
Mr.. Ferguson. but I fear IL can never