Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-14
WOMEN WANT NEW LAWS.
They Have Been Organising I'm Japan
to Secure Their Rights.

They Have HSen Organizing S4p1A
to Secure Their Rights.
'The japanese ladies are really or
panizing at last. They are beginnings
strong movement to amend the Japan
csc laws so that a japanese gentleman
that supports another woman besides
his legal wife can be arrested. The laws
are now one sided, yes, very much one
sided The japanese husband can have
as many wives as he pleases- Not reg
ular wives, you understand. japan
law let's the husband marry only one
wife. Otherwise, he is guilty of bigamyt
same as here" -
This announcement of womans
independence in the land. of silent
wives and maidens that won't be
kissed came from S. Kisli, young at
torney of Toxic. Mr.. Kishi, having prac.
ticed some time in his own city, resolved
to venture forth into western lands &c
see how it was possible for lawyers &c
make an honest living IN Europe
and America. The study of this intri-
cate problem detained Mr.. .Kkhi sin
weeks in San Francisco, three months
in Milwaukee and some weeks in Cflica-
60 He has now arrived in St. Paul
where he will enter the law department
of the Great Northern railroad and re-
main several months. Eventually he
will proceed to Europe.
Formerly" continued the smiling
white-toothed law pilgrim, that is &c
say, up to 25 years ago, japanese gen
tieman could have as many informal
wives as he wished. He was rather
proud of them and showed them in pub
lie Now sentiment has so changed that
he keeps them hid away. He would be
thought very immoral TO exhibit them
in public. Yet he cannot be punished by
law. But this exception in favor of the
men is likely TO be done away with
There is commission now revising our
civil code. That code is based upon the
Code Napoleon, not on the English COM
mon law. Our commercial code, how
ever, is modelled after the comerciaf
code of Germany.
But it is natural for woman to want
less than man IN Japan. We consider
that she is equal to man in quality, but
not in quantity. That is the way we ex-
press it. And she is always by nature
different. Man is strong, rough, brave
Woman is weak, gentle, gracious,
| timid. She must attend to her home
Man must go out into business, into
government, into war. We do not mix
occupations as you do here For exam
pie. the men ride bicycles in japan very
much more now than before. But the
woman-rfever. a woman astride of a
bicyeiei It would be too rude, too bold
| She should be at home, not showing her
self upon the streets.
Her costume? Oh, it is almost al
ways japanese Years ago, perhaps
ten years, one of our cabinets thought
they would help Japan abroad by per-
suading our people to dress like Euro
peans. Even the court ladies BEGAN to
wear foreign dresses. But the cabinet
went down. The women took back
| their native costumes Now Japan
csc lady most always wears her ancient
costume. We find that your dresses
are not convenient, as our women sit
| about on the floors of our little houses
But the Japanese men are using the
European clothes very generally in otI
cities, that is, for business in govern
ment offices and in the professions But
when the men get home they take on
these clothes and put on the good old
| japanese robes. Then we are comfort
| able."-St- Paul Pioneer Press.