The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-06

! graduate and . scholar Of means and
| influence. His homo il . leading city in
the richest province Of China Whils
the district examinations wers beinR
held there hecensly every one was
amazed at the appearances Of large post
ers on all the dead walls con tanning an
appeal TO all educated Chinese TO abar-
don the torture of their Young Aaugh.
tiers by foot binding. The proclalns.
ton was signed by Chon and . hall
dozen other prominent graduates end
officials
The proclamation was written IN the
regulation Chinese manner. IL con-
tanned many quotations from Confu-
cius. but its main point was directed 20
the edict of Emperor Shun Chin In 1862.
pronouncing the binding of girls fret
to be illegal. Chon declares tAAs this
edict had been oocyed for time and
then ignored He describes the fortunes
which young Chinese girls of the bette,
class are forced 10 endure. and the mis-
cry and tears that are their portion for
months and years. Even uhe worst con.
victs. he says, are never called upon "a
endure what . foolish custom imposes
upon the tender frame Of young girls
who are beloved by their fathers. BE
then Gale attention 20 the helplessness
of such crippled women and 70 their ter
rible fate when husbands or fathers srs
unable 10 defend or remove them from
peril. he closes by sxhorting all
educated Chinese 20 use their iu4ausnce
in abolishing q custom that In hArbAr.
GUS and opposed IN tae welfare Of The
nation
From a Chinese -'andopius the pros-
lsmation h ably written, though On
American or . European would object
TO its commonplace put INTO sslsed
language and to the sclf-evidezt prop
ositions which Nv. Chon argues a.
length That 1t has mads . strong I'm.
preston IL shown by the discussien II
IL IN all the large vernsculsr papers.
Many conservative writer's oppose tho
movement but 10 has gained more
friends than enemies. II appears that
Mr.. Chon. the author OF the procisme-
ton. which hss been distributed tn the
form OF tracts throughout ssechusn
ard neighboring provinces. ives IN ex-
smiper at Picking until recently. when
the death of his fether forced him 10 re-
turn homo There be found his fsvorise
daughter. only srven years old. crying
and hobbling around with her bound
feet. He was 20 much impressed with
the cbild's apparent suffering that ha
wrote his article and. then secured ths
signatures Of number of his insu4
entail friends, sal scholars who bad held
public Office. These men also sRreed
10 abolish the binding Of girls feet IN
their own bouseholdh aad among theirs
Good Judges of TIE ChiDese eh@~ets1
declare that this movement bida fair
20 have greater rcxults than any reform
stsrted in recent 7esrs. because tbs
Chinese have a reverence for schoiaY-
ship. What would excite TO comment
e put out bys foreign or NATIVE mi.scn<
sry is regarded a. II the hrst fmpor-
ssnee when slen~d By litz~ry rad
uste like Mr.. Chon. What r1ahse n
more significant In that Mr.. Chen sp.
peaIs 10 eli CLASSES. foe in the vexsrrn
part OF Szechusn and IN neighhrol14
proySpo7 the binding Of tia feet Of
female Children II universal Even the
women who work IN tes 6aids have
-riPpscd f-ss and are fnvced 10 follow
the hzrvcsters on their hAnds anA
mes Tn fact. The average length of
The female foot In al the y~extsyn rsYs
IF thi. province IL only three inches. yes
o-vo-nsn can expect 20 g-t . husband
who DOS not comply with The eustoa
md bare her fee. deforrned. II vii b
: striking tribute 20 the effect - r-is-
.sona-y work in China should this alb.
'ltion Of foot binding spread throughs
'ut the empire-Chjezgo TribGnA