The sun., 1902-02-09


during the past week between the woman
oAcstion and China, in three instances
the reception by the Empress Dowager
"a the ladies' of the foreign legations In
Pskin; f,ili-page srticle by Minister WI
Ting-fang In monthly magazine, entitled
s3iy Impressions Of American Women
add the address OF this same gentleman
az the banquet Of the women's Law College
of washineton.. The Empress represented
tlaeSxouiai hood of the oldest and least
psogfsaslve o. the civilized countries. and
Mrs. Copaer. wife of the American Minister,
stood FOR tho newest and most progressive
Of all nations: while the Chinese diplomat
could not in two hemispheres find more
striking contrast than exists between the
women Of his own empire and the highly
educated. energetic, up-to-date women
lawyers OF our national capital. Not often
ere there more striking illustrations OF
the way In which the whcle world is touch.
ing hands in the early dawn of the new
Century.
Jt was peculiar thing for that imperial
old barbarian 20 show this unusual courtesy
to those foreign women, and she must
have received a new sensation in listening
IA The spirited and independent address
of Mrs Conger. Y9t who knows but that
tho natural affinity among women may
accomplish more than the elaborate di-
pipmacy Of men? Certain 1t Is that no one
ediot IN all history has done as much Tor
the liberation Of woman as the one just
issued by the Empress that hereafter there
shall be no more foot binding among the
sfrl children Of her empire. And this
surely means that in the years to come
their brains also viii be allowed 10 expand.
Sin his "impres sions" there is no one
fca,ure OF American women which seems
70 much 10 challenge Minister Wu's ad-
iSiration az their athletic qualities, their
outdoor sports. their elastic walk. their
love Of exercise. their fine physique, and
we may we'll believe that no draws the con-
trnst with his own cruelty crippled country
wpnien. Ard yet with all this, toward
tho close cf hts article. he expresses the
ktiief that professions which require
setentary habits arc best for women
His Excellency, like most foreigners, is
enthusiastic over the energy Of our women,
The wide range of their activities, their
refuaykable self-rciiance. their quick per-
oeption and above all, their intellectually,
their wit. the broad scope of their knowl- |
edge and their remarkable powers of con- |
versation, which. he says, is far more in !
t$resting than anything one reads IN books.
And with 1t all they know how to dress /
WE'LL they hold virtue in high esteem, not /
only In private. but in civic life, ard they .
rsake home which is worthy Of al /
lie believes that woman !
should have equal chances with man in /
eiolrg III 10 which she legit.mately ospires
a These conclusions are the results Of Min |
N,er Wu's keen observat ions for five years.
end 1Amefican wofnon should make their !
prctfiest acknowledgements Of his conf I
p irasntary opsnions But this must he in /
sisted upon ia fairness TO the women Of /
ether nationalities, that in giving those Of I
the United States precedence over all
others II never should be forgotten that /.
IN this country alone have women been |
allowed q compara lively free develop |
fnent II Is most unjust that foreign men,
not Especially from China, but from more .
modern countries, should praise American (
women to the disparagcment Of their own, |
whom they. permit no opportunity 10 show ,
the splendid qualities which a generation ,
or two OF freedom would bring TO light
In his address TO the Womcn's Law Col |
lege, Minister WI showed, as he has done on !
previous occasions, that his breadth of I,
view on this question was greater even than !
that Of the average Ameii an man, when /
10 the various courts He placed this on !
The novel ground that an attractive woman |
prisoner can influence jury OF men and /
escape a deserved punishment but she |
could not do this with jury Of women
Like his American brother, however, he |
could not LET the occasion pass without
Introducing the sex question and admon-
ishing his hearers to retain their feminine
charms, remember they still were women
and not become unsexed whatever that
may mean
The Massachusetts suffragists have just
had their annual hearing before the Legis-
lativc Joint Committee on Constitutional
I heir appeals to this body for half CEN
Jury. '1he breaking waves dashed high, |
On stern and rock bound coast" :" is typical
of the waves Of eloquence which have
broken over tho stern and hide-bound
assemblage. that is planted on the top Of
oil Plymouth Rock. The mothers used
10 make this annual journey to the State
House. and as they passed away the
daughters took up the task, and doubtless
these, lawInakers-pleading for what'
Simply and solely for the rights which
werc demanded by Samuel Adams and
John Hancock. who sleep at tho foot Of
the hill What o disgrace 20 the men Of
modern Massachusetts,
Year after year these hearings are moro |
cfow ded than any others ever held In the
state House, and 1t Il for the moral effect
of the arguments before these large audi |
ences ard through the press that the suf-
frage advocates patiently and courage
-oUsly continue to make them Mr.
Thomas Russell, member of the Legislature,
has represented the -antis" and made |
almost exactly the same speech for seven
wears, Last week he varied ii by protest.
ing against the suffragists being allowed
TO come before this committee and put il
10 tho trouble OF listening 10 them. He !
was robuked severely by Mrs Julia Ward
Howe, who declared that the right of Pc
litiou Is the most cherished of rights and
for any man TO question II is a matter OF /
grave copcern. Mrs. Quincy Shaw, a |
daughter Of Prof. Louis Agassiz, was one !
of the petitioners.
II Ia not alone for the franchise that ,
these women Of Massachusetts have been
askigg all the years. The new code Of
.awN which has just been adopted contains
vary lew rClating TO women which the !
sufIagists have not many times pettioned
ioT. For number of years they humbly
begged that married woman might own
l,er clothes, and this at last was granted
For nity-hvc years they have pleaded
. far law that would give the mother equal
uuaIlliaI, .hiD ~ hp pbildrap Wit thc fn,6ar