Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-28
Woman's Advance Abroad.

ucat1On OF woman has long been an ac-
complished fact and where she has
taken her place beside man in prac-
tically all the professions and trades
we little realize how far in advance
she is of her sisters in other lands. The
privileges of the American woman, her
independence and her versatility, have
long been regarded in Europe as little
less than a scandal, but within few
years the women of Europe have come
to have more respect for the opportu-
nifty and ability OF the American
woman. From envying these they are
now beginning to emulate them as far
as possible.
We read that even in such conserv-
alive countries as Prussia. Holland and
Germany the women are awakening
from the sleep of centuries. Within
the past few years the women have
been applying for admission to the Ger
man universities in such numbers that
the authorities are alarmed, and it is
rumored that conditions for admission
will be made more and more stringent
in the future, in hopes of discour-
aging the attendance of women. In
Prussia. which has never made any
important concessions 10 the demands
of women, the reaction is apparently
stronger than elsewhere. So severe
have the conditions for admttance
been made at the University of Berlin
that the enrolment decreased nearly
| one half in single semester. In this
university women are not matriculated
at all now, and can attend lectures
only as hearers and that by special
permission. The example of the lead
ing institution in Berlin will, no doubt.
be followed by others throughout the
country. Far from indicating the fail
ure of the women students to show
| themselves worthy of the higher edu-
cation. the attitude of the German au-
| thorities is plainly one of defence
| in at the outset.
In Holland woman has for the first
| time applied to the Dutch Reformed
| church to be admitted to serve as a
! duly qualified pastor. At first her PEI
tition was refused. but it is now I'M
der consideration again by the church
council. In Russia several business
firms conducted wholly by women have
anplieyl to the minister of finance for
permission to do business ON their
own account on the stock exchange.
Such an unheard of proposition stag
gered the government and it is now
thinking it over.
In no country of Europe do the
women have such political and social
liberty as in England, but they are
fessons there. This winter, for the
first time, a woman has applied for
admission to the London bar. A de-
cision in her case has been promised
for this month. In India several women
have been admitted to practice in the
courts and are doing all in their power
to improve the unhappy condition of
| the women of that great empire.
i over in Japan the women are refus-
:. ing to stay behind the times, and now
the theatrical profession, which has al
| ways been forbidden them, is now open
l to them. This is through the efforts
of Madame Sada Yako, woman well
known in Europe and this country.
She and her husband have established
a theatre in Toxic where they are pro-
ducing plays of Shakespeare's besides
adaptations of modern European
dramas. They have a mixed company
of actors and actresses, a thing which
has been practically forbidden in Japan
hitherto. 1t is not likely th2x any
other person in the empire could have
introduced this innovation, but so great
is the popularity of Sada Yako, ana so
intense is the admiration with which
| her art is regarded by the japanese,
that she was able to defy tradition.
Most of the work of TRANSMITTING and
ada pting is done by her, or with her
assistance, and she is her own stage
manager.
Turkey is the last country where
womans' intellectual ~ emancipation
might be expected, but there are few
energetic women, and more than a few
liberal men in the ottoman empire who
are bent on improving the lot of Turk
ish women. Among them are trio
who are now lecturing in European
cities: Princess Hairie Ben-Aid: her
husband, who. although of Swedish
birth, spent some years in the service
of the Sultan; and an executor of a
| Turkish journal. The husband OF the
Princess was recently condemned by
| Turkish law to one hundred and one
years of Imprisonment. The editor es-
capped with comparatively light sem