Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-10-14
CHINESE WOMEN ARE LAWMAKERS
PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY IN CANTON HAS TEN WOMEN MEMBERS
Men WEAR ROBES AND The WOMEN TROUSERS

of equal suffrage and the cause OF
women generally, writes from China
TO the Woman's Journal as follows:
Dozens of people in Hong Kong,
including the American and Dutch
consuls and several Chinese gentle
men in sympathy with the republic,
assured us with emphasis that there
was no other foundation for the as
tonishing statements which had gone
forth to the world concerning the re-
lation of Chinese women to the rev-
olution and republic than a slight ag-
itation. and that this was of such
indefinite character that no details
of it were known. 1t seemed to us
at the time quite unbelievable that
these intelligent people, living at the
gateway into China, and presumably
reading the daily Chinese press, could
be mistaken. We have learned since
then that in this country the left
hand knoweth not what the right
hand doeth," and that neither hand
knows the deeds of its fingers.
Seeking Chinese Suggragists.
We were quite convinced that
there was no woman suffrage in
China, but we believed there were
suffragists, and these we proposed to
find if it were humanity possible. We
therefore turned our faces toward
Canton, as soon as we returned from
the Philippines, equipped with all
the letters and names We could get.
Canton is, next to Pekin, the largest
city in China, and was the center of
the revolution for south China, as it
is now one of the chief bulwarks of
the new republic. 1t lies ninety
miles inland from Hong Kong, and is
reached by boat on the broad, pictur-
esQue, mountain-bordered Canton
river.
They Take Risky Trip.
There was a little flavor of adven-
ture about this trip. Many people
shook their heads doubtfully when
we spoke of our plans, and evidently
thought us foolhardy. Had they
known that we were an expedition
hunting for sufffragists, they would
have considered us stark mad.
Hut for Provincial Assembly.
One by one we made our calls, pre-
sented our letters and asked ques-
tions. We knew that each province
in China had been granted a provis-
ional assembly, with the expectation
that it would later become a perma-
nent provincial legislature. No one
could tell us where or when the as
sembly for the province of Canton
might meet, nor of whom it was com
posed. Upon one point they were
agreed, and that was that no woman
had ever voted for its members, nor
been elected member Some gave
us other names and clues, and these
we chased up and down from north
to south and east to west of the six
square miles of Canton, in and out
of its narrow streets, over bridges
and through gateways, always in the
midst of hurrying, scurrying throngs
of shouting men, women and chill
dren. Among those who didn't
know were one American, one ltal-
ian and three Chinese physicians, two
heads of important schools, two lead
ing missionaries, and many more.
All had lived in Canton through the
revolution and the establishment of
the new order | mention these de-
tails because there is no more en-
Tightening comment upon the situa-
tion here than the dense ignorance
which abounds among all classes of
people as to what is going on. DR..
Jacobs and | agree that we shall re-
member the two entire days spent in
Canton searching for suffragists as
the most unique and eventful of our
whole trip.
They See Women Legislators.
At last letter from the Dutch con-
sul-general gave us clue, which,
traced to its source, seated us in a
gallery from which we looked down
upon the assembly of Canton prov
ince in session. Lo! there below us
sat the women members, of whom
some of the most intelligent men and
women in China had never heard
How we did gloat our wondering eyes
upon them! The mercury was soar
ing somewhere near the top of the
thermometer, the humidity was we'll.
nigh uncomfortable, and we had beer
drenched twice by tropical showers
but we forgot all the discomforts and
fatigue, and gazed spell-bound at this
manifestation of the New China.
Men Wear Gowns, Women Trousers
The building was an old one, hast
lily repaired for the use of the as
sembly. There was nothing Chimes,
nor even oriental about it, On