Newport daily independent., 1902-09-04

the natural position and autocratic power of mother as those of the last few years in which the dowager em- press has played the most conspicu- ous part.
 The dowager is the sole surviving widow of Emperor Hsien Feng, who died in 1861. In later years, by a process of adoption known only in China, the present empress dowager became the grandmother of the pres ent emperor. Actually she is of no discernible relationship to him. But by that process of adoption, constant ly practiced and everywhere recog- nized in China, she is his only suryiv- ing grandmother. And here is the one source of power and authority, alike over him and over the Chinese race. Not as empress, but as mother, she has the full right to rule under every foundation principle of the Chinese governmental system. However un- wise, absurd and disastrous to the em- pire any act or acts of hers may have been, they have been well within the limits of her authority, according to the constitution and laws of the em- pire. Only death or an entire over turning of the entire system of au- thority can either relieve or rob her of her rights, not as empress but as mother.
 In early life many of the women in China commit suicide. One has no legal protection against her master, man. He may abuse her and neglect her, fail to provide for her wants, de- sert her and divorce her. In practice husbands divorce their wives for any reason and for no reason. Any scrap of paper upon which the fact of di- vorce is written, and stamped with the impression of the thumb of the hus- band, is all that is necessary. The most serious of all hardships which fall to the lot of the Chinese woman come with her marriage. And these are often so bitter as to be uncomfortable, and to end in self-destruction. She is betrothed in infancy or childhood to a boy whom she has never seen, and whom certainly she does not know.
 The betrothal is legal ceremony, no less binding than marriage. She has absolutely no choice regarding whom or when she shall marry, and any ex- pression of opinion or semblance of in terest in matter which so vitally con sSssFns her would be as sadly immodest as to ruin her reputation. The mem bers of her own family take no part in the wedding ceremonies; usually they are not present. She has sep arated from them forever, and her re- lationship is broken completely. She is dressed by her mother and when her toilet is completed and the ap- pointed hour has arrived for the we'd ding, large bag, made of red satin and brilliantly embroidered, is drawn down over her head and shoulders to the waist, where it is tied, thus complete ly binding her and pinioning her arms to her sides.
 Meantime a procession has come from the house of the parents of her future husband, headed by band of music, and in which the most con spicuous object is a red sedan chair the wedding chair-borne by four or eight men. This chair is brought close to the door of her room and she is half led and half carried to seat in it. The curtains of the chair are closely drawn so that not ray of light can enter. When she has been placed with in it the door is closed and locked by the girls mother. Such precautions are taken that the wedding chair shall be tightly closed and no one given even