The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-11-26
tBy JEAN ". MARRY +,

N'iA|H Oh ~ AIct 70 YlHcth FORWARD
With the swift-striding months. Their
feet must be unbound. This <.dic,
has gone forth from the highest Of
nee under the new government, and
chinese WOmen everywhere will obev.
They would not obey the Manchu
fo"t-binding. 1t is true that the old
Dowager, being wise in her
Gay, did not make this decree obliga-
tnry--that is, no penalty nor punish
ment was attached for no~n-obedience.
1t was one Of those DEGREES OF exhor-
fotIon IN which the Imperial Manchu
wish was made known to the China
people. Therefore, inc it was not
G law, China would not obey it. Lat
Il, Prince Chun issued q like decree.
But what did that matter? Manchu
people had never bound their women's
feet, M look at the size Of them!
They made chaste Chinawomen blush
ia behold. Therefore, in spite Of h
imperial DEGREES Of exhortation, Chi
pese parents went on calmly binding
Chinese baby girls feet.
The ~unbinding of Women's feet is
only one Of the many changes now
taxing place IN this land where men
have SO long looked upon women as
their tools and servants. Ii Is rumor-
ed that women are DOR TO have o
place in public affairs.
Rapidly growing Is the interest In
schools for women. Many new schools
ere TO be- stahlished, and the courses
10 be studied both broadened and
frightened. Some OF the new teach
FRS are graduates from Chinese acad-
most part. men. Women teacher
arc being recruited from Chinese
women graduates Of American me
European schools.
On & recent tr~ans-Pacific liner from
the States was Mrs. II. 7. Chen, a
x>rad,iafa ~ thu TJnivo vci$v of Colfnr-
MIA and consequently, q coed. Mrs.
Chen, with her husband, who is q
mining engineer, will establish sew
erai schools In the Province Of Husan,
over one Of which Mrs. Chen herself
will personally preside. Mrs. Chen is
a daughter of the kongs, a family that
has long stood high in the Province
Of HusaD. The KongS are Christians,
but they believe in China for the
Chinese and are intensely patriotic.
fraee nov believing that many years
Of education must be given to Chinese
wOtleu. en- rnaSse, before they are
prepared to vote i~ntelligently.
II Chinese women have their way
the next thing to do. and they NEAR
Ter 1t to follow close upon the heels
Of the disappearing bound feet, is the
system Of wife-selling and concubin.
age. It is this practice that thinking
women OF China, Pagan as Well q:
christian. would like to see abolished
dow with Coucubinage!" is to b.
the slogan used by coming Chimes
snfragettes.
When Dr. Sun Vat Sen was at til
head Of the new government he wa,
approached by q delegation OF womel
who Laid before him a plea for tn
ballot for women. The plea explain
al that this had been promised b,
tha revoiutionists ifthey should win
md now that the reVOlutiOnists ha'
Won. the women were calling them t
keep their promise. DR.. Suns an
swer was, In substance. that he di'
not object to women's voting provide
fhey were qualified, as men must be
10 vote.
However. now that the women O
thina are beginning to see the wa
before them, they may be counted t
stop AZ nothing short Of freedom 10
themselves, and equal rights wit
men. They have been held down an
made the servants Of their husband
and their husbands family and an
.estors now for thousands Of year
They would like a change. Cndt
the old regime about the only excite
meDt that came into life Of a Chimes
woman was her marirage--when sh
would sit up all the night before sing
ing, II wonder what's going to nor
pen to me,"--and the day her fir:
son was born.
For centuries. Chinese PATRIOTS,
has been a fiercely localized thini
more a matter of family-loyalty tina
anything else, for, in many village
every one is related by either plOc
or marriage to every one else. III
revolution called for nationwide pt
lriotisE,, and found it. All Chin
hated the Manchus. Therefore a
china united to help overthrow tf
empire.
The men. grow ~faint-hearte
would have been willing, some
,hem, TO give up the fight had II
women stood back of them to e1
ourag and to urge them on. VINE
the fighting was at its height, thr'
regiments Of women soldiers. drlAs
and armed, held themselves in reao
ness to answer their %cOuntry's call