The Florida star., 1900-08-17
MISERY OF Chinese WOMEN,
InfAn'ieids = cOmmOa Way of Disposins
OF Surplus Girl Babies.

N @nANSAoSOs aug. Oh no other
matter do the Chinese display so much
the difference between themselves and
Caucasians as I'm their estimation and
treatment OF women. Our placing OF
women on pedestal would be incom-
prehensible to a Chinaman-that is. IL
be cOndescended TO waste thought on
foreigners. His women are To him
merely chattels to be disposed OF at
Will He is. however, quite willing to
allow them TO work for him and. In
fact. expects them to do so. As they
are absolutely under the control OF his
will. they do what he expects.
This and the following remarks ap-
ply chiefly to the native mass OF the
population. or course among the high
er and wealthy classes the position OF
Chinese women is much lighter. High
class women are treated as pets and
have frequently some little education.
They have. in fact. risen I'm the past to
great power. The greatest power in
China today is an old woman, the en-
press dOwager.
From their very birth Chinese wom-
ell are futed to an i'll destiny. While
the birth of son is hailed in Il Chinese
household with rejoicing. that of
daughter is made the occasion of lam
entations or is passed over in silence.
The most convenient way to China
man OF getting rid of girl babies, es-
pecially II they come in too rapid sue
cessiOn, Is To kill them, and this he
does with great prOmptness either by
dropping them into IL canal or river or
by exposure. In former times these
We're the accepted and usual ways OF
treating girls, but the missionaries
have by their Intervention. which the
Chinese are so vigorously rcSenting at
present. caused some ameliOratiOn OF
such horrible practices. They are still
common. however. and the finding OF
dead female infant causes no comment
in China. but il must not be thought
that the practice OF this crime is COM
mended by the Chinese themselves.
We must give them the credit, faint
though IL be. of considering it IL serious
evil. 1t can only he abolished by rails
ing the position of the adult Chinese
women or the mass of the population.
which seems at present n hopeless task.
The greatest article OF Chinese faith
Is ancestor worship. and from this wO-
men. as all inferior class. are vigorously
excluded. The Chinaman becomes an
ancestor and a tit subject for future
veneratiOn only with the birth OF son.
When. therefore. Il daughter disap-
points him by being born. he turns his
rage against her. Ii is not always so,
the usual proportion Of daughters al
lowed tO live being about two tO five
sons. \ greater proportion is consid-
cred undesirable. and infanticide Is the
result.
1t is impossible for an American to
conceive the want OF natural affection
displayed toward Il Chinese daughter.
When 4 Chinese father Is asked how
many children he has. he cnumeratcs
his sons, his daughters being consider
eel as So much property. They are ar
ticlcS Of commerce. and tGeir value IL
regulated 10y the law Of supply AMI de.
mand. and when there is Il Supertluity
Of girl babies their price is apt to drop
Ia point too low tO pay for their
lllI lulH II iutilltl N'iuNc WI
infanticido.
However. let us suppose that Chi
ncS,. Sirl has survived her unhappy
birth ami lives to grow mp. She il
known by the designation Of 'ya-tOu."
which means slave girl which Is
literally what she is and remains all
her life The narrowncsS of her exist
rnce can scarcely be- described or
imagined. She is compelled to work
from the moment she becomes able 10
assist. bc il ever 81 little. i'm the house
hold or in the business occupation Of
her father. Chinese work iS done al
most wholly by hand. AMI Chinese wo-
men of the lower classes do much Of
II. especially in the cotton and silk in
du~tri"S.
Such a thing aS education for Chi
nrSr girl IL unhcard Of ana would be
drridrd if suggested. Some tentative
experiments i'm this line have been
made hy missionaries. with doubtful
success. The supreme. 0VcrShadoWinG
idea nf a girls parents ls that she will
be the future wife Of some one. and all
her life IS directed tO that end. They
dO not propose. therefore. tu waste ANY
money or valuable Tim" un educating
= Girl ,yI0 when married. wi!l be- the