Evening star., 1903-11-28
CHINA'S NEW WOMEN
THEY WANT REFORM IN LAND OF
THEIR BIRTH.
They Organize Society to Help Their
Sisters at Home-Members
Can't Read.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun
Just at this time when reform has re-
ceived black eye in the city of New York
the women of Chinatown are taking IL up-
not the reform of Tammany though, but
of no less a parsonage than the Empress
of China.
The fact Is due to a young woman of
seventeen who, on the way from China
| to Harvard, stopped here long enough to
stir things up in the Chinese quarter This
young woman is Miss Kang Tung, daughter
of Kang Tung Wei, who is at the head of
the 'Bo Waung Wool" reform society
representing the more progressive party
In China and having a membership of more
than 100000.
To keep his head on his shoulders Kang
Tung Wei is obliged to keep out of China
The empress. who does not approve of the
progressive party, has put a price on his
head and also on the heads of some other
leaders in the same organization-a circum-
stance which has helped rather than him
dered the society's growth. That is why
kang Tung Wei and his family for the last
three years have lived in India, where his
sprightly daughter attended English
school.
Small, but Ambitious.
Miss Kang Tung is small, but her am
bitions are tremendous Therefore she de-
cided to cross the ocean and spend three
or four years at Harvard or some other
American college and then a year more
in England studying English politics be-
fore going back TO China to help her own
countrywomen. That she does eventually
mean to use her education for the benefit
of the women of her own country instead
OF settling down in America is deyoutly
hoped by many people.
Judging by the stirring up Chinatown
has had, Miss kang Tung is a born or
ganizer and leader. After she got here she
learned with much satisfaction that the
society of which her father is the leader
has already In this city a membership OF
81 600 organized as the Chinese Empire Re-
form Society. She also found here about
stxty-five Chinese women, and believing
that the emancipation Of the women of
China Will be hurried along If women only
rut their shoulders to the wheel, she set to
work
Empire Reform Society.
The outcome was the women's branch OF
the Chinese Empire Reform Society, the
first of it's kind in this country. 1t was
started one night about week ago In the
Morning Star Mission rooms in Doyers
street with a membership of thirty-six and
not one. perhaps. was more astonished af-
terward than the stolid and timid members
themselves.
Each went there wonderingly in response
TO a personal invitation, and before she
went home again was quite willing to pin
her faith to a leader who could make such
a stirring address in their native tongue.
To be sure, they were somewhat staggered
to be told that after the manner of Ameri-
can women they must read the newspapers
and know things. when in reality not
half dozen in the audience could read much
less write, either Chinese or English. But,
nevertheless at the close of the meeting
there were thirty-six Chinese women who
practically declared themselves emanoi-
pated from the old order of things by in
dorsing the most advanced American ideas
relative to woman's education and freedom
In fact they indorsed everything the speak
said, even the sentiment that they must
stand by each other and do ali in their
power to aid a few millions Of their down.
trodden sisters in China.