The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-06-25
II Cd. NNoN REFORM.
Beginning of a Movement to Abol-
ish Foot Binding.
Horrors of an Inhuman Practice
That Has Been Prevalent in
China for Centuries
The Rcformer.


found its way into the darkness oil
China, and a reformation has been
tarted OF vastly more Importance &c
he woman of the Flowery Kingdom
nan the bloOmer question and othe
ike problems which have been vexin.
her progressive sisters of the wester.
world.
This new departure calls for the abo-
lition OF foot-L:nding, common among
III classes of Chinese women, from tn
cor creatures shaving in the rice
ields to the dainty bellies who's;
athers hold lucrative public Offices
Everything moves with tremendou
rlowness il China, particularly innova-
ions, and the reformers expect that =
Will take CENTURY or more to make tn,
charge complete.
The piec;icc has existed for 90 Ger
aries and iaay have existed for 40 GER
'uries, and naturally it will be d:i1
cult matter to root out. The grcatcs
'rcllCri 10 be overcome is the ayersio
# Chircge ren to marry women who
'cct are no. squeezed into deformCd o.
',c.s bearing little or no resemblance
10 the natural human foot.
As tho one ambition of the Chine
g;sl AID Of her parents is TO marry the
willingly undergo the fortunes Of fo
binding to realize the matrimon
state A woman whose foot is ar
where rcar the size nature intended
IN ou:ca-=t 50 far ~ matrinory is co,
-crned. The men deem it dirgrace t.
nary her. ard an unmarried woman is
/ burden to herself and her relatives
with these conditions to face the re-
formers are counting upon a hard time
# it.
The binding process is the acme o
forlure, as the pain is incessart and eX-
'nrds over P period of many years. The
i.ttle Chinese girl usually enjoys TIL
'ull freedom Of her feet until she is four
n five wears old. She can run about like
7ther children and can rest the full
eight OF her body upon her feet with
~ suffering exquisite torture.
Rut all this is soon stopped, far l. is .
custom, sanctioned by centuries, that 9
woman's feet must not be more tina
thrce inches IN length Bv the time
ri is eour CT five years old her feet 4
lreody uorc than three inches lore
~ then comes the torture.
Marrow ctrirs of silk nine OF ten T,
'arr crc used by the fond Ucrent
rush The further growth. The silk :
Irawn tightly over the insteD and the
-erricd over the four small toes and til"
Gcel. The toes are drawn under the
root and the pressure is so great that
ne sole is almost drawn into n semi
oircle.
The large toe is particularly difficult
. subdue. and separate bands OF the
ill are 6rrwn over the member and
.arricd under the heel. squeezing II
'1,yn with double pressure. Unyield'
'ng shoes. made ironlilie in strength
ere crowded upon the feet, and the
'sannv days of the little girl arc over.
The shoes are removed al nirht, b.
he barJArcs remain niCht and dar
For the first few months the child
urarlc TO move about except uDon he
hands and knees. The circulation c
he blood in the feet has been choke
md the pressure of the body and II
vercisr of walking force the bloc
the stranrled veins. caus'r'
hn most intense agony. This pain
rnthinr. however, TO that suffered whH'
t is necessary TO change the handa~'
worry fortnight for fresh ones. T
udGon loosening Of the bands all
The ricol to shoot into the benur''
nd deadened feet, and the pain is OTTER
mes so exquisite that the child fart
way.
Even the girls who in later life nre
,crforr' the hardest kind of manu-"
rbcr have their feet crippled. IT,
.0ectacle of women working in t.
iclas on their hands and knees. be
ausc their deformed feet are unable +
import the weight Of the body, has
Tart on Parents of other children. Ar
he workers themselves bind the feet
,ci- Girls Without the slightest twing
: conscience.
Tho leader of the reform movement
hiuhly educated native Of the CITY
IF. the chief town OF the rrovir'
czrchurr. one OF the richest distric'
III" crlpire. For mary v"GrH he j.
-cr c.nrloyed in an official position 20
,l:io,-. and on his return horne i" four
IS ive-year-old dauTh'cr hobl'l'-
i,out on crippled feet ard crT'rr fro
he nain. lie at once removed :he band
yes and declared that he would never
rnsent 70 such torture Of his children
n the children of his dependents.
Thi. was the first Of the reform
movement. lie called upon the rich~a
nd most influential men in the CITY arr
he province. and succeeded in inducing