The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-01-19
CHINESE IDEA OF WOMAN.
Views of an Oriental Ambassador at
Washington independence the
Loadstone of WOn1nnhood.

In Washington dispatch the World
prints an interesting interview with
the Chinese minister to the United
States, who says:
Independence is the loadstone of
American womanhood."
Such, at least, is the best judgment
of Mr.. WI Ting Fang, the first Chinese
minister to America who has been able
to converse with Americans in their
native tongue. In his native land Mr..
WI Ting Fang was known as an adj
mirer of beautiful women-a reputa-
ton which has in no way suffered since
his entree into Washington society.
"And by beautiful" he said, slowly,
81 don't mean red lips, nor bright eyes,
nor glossy hair; I mean, too, a beautiful
soul.'
"But what can you know of their
souls, Mr.. Wu?"
80, that is simple. The soul is not
and seen in the eyes, and heard in the
voice."
"But if you meet one just once, you
may call her beautiful, and you cannot
SO soon have discovered her soul?"
"Why not?" asked Mr.. WI. 'If she
be old enough to have entered society,
surely she is old enough to have devel-
oped soul, good or bad. And it can
not fail to be evident.
"But the real beauty-it is time that
perfects, time and the true spirit, the
spirit of love, and charity, and for
givenness; the spirit of hope and of
gentleness; the spirit that makes 9TH
ers glad; that remembers the hearts
of others and in that memory forgets
ITSELF
"And there are such?'
'Many. The land of my birth is filed
with them; people whom old age can
mot touch, because they make it beauti-
full, with beauty that years cannot
wither."
But why, particularly, in the land Of
your birth?"
Because the education is different;
so is life, likewise ideals and ambi
lions. Physically our women fade
earlier than yours. Perhaps they have
not so much to start with-at least
from an American standpoint.
SIN China a woman is pretty accord
ing to her deeds. A wife is good wife
according to her"
Mr.. WI hesitated.
| "You will not like it," he ventured.
"What is it?"
| "Gentleness. 1t is not an American
quality, think"
"Very WE'LL" he said. 81 concede gen
tleness may sometimes be an American
attribute, but an accident of birth, is
it not, rather than training? 1t is not
an ambition, is it, like it is to be indie
| pendent?
''What does independence win for the
American woman? Happiness? I
think not. Husbands? Impossible. Is
the independent woman lovable? Don't
you know that it is the dependent, gen.
tie, confding woman who gets mans
whole heart and keeps it warm, who
makes his home garden spot, who
rears his children SO they make him
proud? What, then, does she win, this
Independent woman of yours? A lveli-
hood? Yes. But her independence Gre
ates the need.
| ''Then let me tell you another thing
that says more for our Chinese women
than l could say in a lifetime. There
is no divorce there. Several divorce
laws have been made, for China wants
to be prepared for emergencies, but
they are not used. The Chinese women
have a way of making the best of lit
tie. And marriages there are not made
in the same offhand manner they are
here. Young and inexperienced girls
and boys are not considered competent
to choose partners for themselves, and
they are not given the chance to form
hopeless attachments with improper
persons.
"The homes in China are all harmony.
Our women are not afflicted with in
dependence. A sons wife and his
mother cannot clash, fer how il a moth
er to find fault with the wife she has
| barSelf choS an ov-Chico UO Tribune