The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-10
ASIATIC QUEENS.
How u Woman Can Rule Where d
Woman Is Despised.
From the London Spectator.

From the London Spectator.
We are often asked to explain how it
happens that in country like China,
where women are hardly regarded as hui
man beings. and where thy dynasty for
mally accepted a Salic law, woman has
been able to possess herself of absolute
power. The Dowager Empress of China
was only the concubine or secondary
wife" of the Emperor Hsien-feng, who
was in 1860 defeated by the Anglo-French
army of invasion, and as the true WIle
was regent. held power during her sons
minority rather on sufferanoe than OF
right. Yet she governed the empire with
absolute authority, rid herself Of her rival
the regent resumed sole authority, reign
ed again during the minority of her neph-
ew, the present Emperor, and IS now lor
the third time Empress Regent Of China,
with despotic power. She even ventures
to sign DEGREES in her own name alone,
and if the Emperor dies, as IS expected
she will at 81 either place baby on the
throne. or if she selects a man. make OF
him an instrument of her will. She is
not sanity even according TO Chinese
ideas. she is alleged to be accessible 70
bribes-a most unusual fault IN a sovereign
and she has not secured the attachInehO
of any known force within the empire; yet
she rules and will rule the most dread
person among a fourth of the human race
1t seems ineXpicable, Dut 1t is not a
similar phenomenon has appeared repeat
edlv At intervals in the history of Asia.
We do not suppose that the fierce soldiers
of Assyria held women in any nigh re-
spect, yet, if tradition may be trusted
Semiramis ruled as absolutely as hSr
husband Minus, the conquering sovereign
whom she murdered. Zenobia was Be
douin by descent, and had, probably, as
a woman no legal rights, yet she shook
the Roman power, and was dreaded by
fierce soldier like Aurelian. Cleopatra
had birth. indeed. but the legal sovereign
" belonged 10 her brother-husband; yet
she stamped the impression of her great
ness into two continents, and had her
nerve not failed at Actum, might have
founded a dynasty ruling the entire East.
In modern times women among HindoOs
hold theoretically most subordinate PO-
sitlon; vet the Rance of Lahore was con-
s,dered by Lord Dalhousie his most dan
eerous opponent, and the Rance Of Jhan-
see was the most formidable of the per-
sonages with whom we had to contend IN
the mutiny; while, though Mussulman
woman is almost a slave, the one person
who fought bravely against the deposition
of the King Of Dude was the monarch
wife The sister-wife of Theebaw of Bur-
dom and it is doubtful at this moment
whether Menelek or his Queen has the
greater authority in Abyssinia. The eX-
nlanation is we believe, a simple one.
Neither sex, nor birth, nor character viii
over prevent mankind from obeying in
hours of crisis the person who as they
think. can bring them victory, secure them
safety. or give them political success Inc
disoualfcatious, legal or social which tell
against a woman are nothing compared
with those which in the judgment Of
Rorne told AGAINST slave; yet Diocietan'
Who revived the Roman empire, was be-
ueved 60 have. been slaveborn Freedmen
were constantly rising to the control OF
he Roman empire, and one or two at
least of that great series of statesmen
| of whom the West knows so little, the
Grand Viziers of Turkey had actually
been slaves. The truth is, the disabilities
nj women in Asia are habituany oNerrat-
81 Their legal position a wives ana
daughters Is bad, but as mothers they
are Greatly reverenced. Asiadcs being hu-
man beings. and even as wives and daugh-
ters they have brains and tongues. Inc
nan who finds that his wife's or daugh-
teY,s rounsel gives him success consults
his vile or daughter, so under an manner
az forms does the party behind him, and
Tho trusted counselor of the state becomes,
with good luckAts ruler. II there are So
cial IDEAS in the way. they are held in
suspense, and If etiquettes. they are in
some more or less decorous fashion brush
ed aside.
The Dowager Empress of China appears
unveiled among the great mandarins, as
does the Begun of Bhopal among her