- May 28, 1906. |
CHINESE APPRECIATION OF
༴ ན་ POLITICS.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE YEPORT.
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being an international question between | all) of our women writers and workers ; but Great Britain and China that some coolies taking ample cognisance of such heroic had had a small punishment in the form of representatives of their sex, we must refuse (Daily Press, 25th May.)
corporal punishment inflicted upon them in to look complacently on the female parlia- It is an interesting speculation what effect a way which happened to be technically mentarian. It is no mere prejudice, nor the extraordinary debate which took place illegal, but which, after all, was not any real overweening satisfaction with the superior in the House of Commons with reference disregard either of justice or of the coolies' ity of the male, that prompts distrust of to Chinese labour and Lord MILNER must reasonable freedom, must make it clear to the new order now threatened. Malo bave had upon the Chinese officials in Lon-people less astute than Chinese officials politicians there are nowadays ns hysterical don and such other educated Chinese as usually are that there is always a chance and illogical as we might expect any woman may have had cognisance of the pro- of making a "top" question of anything to be; and with regard to special legislation, ceedings. The Chinese AMBASSADOR in that can be forced into catch words such as relating to marriage and divorce for instance, London, it may be recollected, was some time will take with the masses at an election or and such questions as the espousal of the before approached by some of the Liberal will in any other way strengthen the deceased wife's sister, we could believe thät party and was pressed to give his views governing porty. How serious a detraction women legislators might bungle less than on the subject. Doubtless the idea was that this must be from the influence (little the men have done. But the agitation is he would be glad to have ground of com- enough as it is, some will say) of the BRITISH not for a specific reform; it is not a more- plaint and would seize upon the oppor- MINISTER at Peking must be evident to all ment that stands alone. It is part of a too tunity of showing how hardly the Chinese who kuow anything of Chinese official ways. widespread heresy for which men themselves Government was always dealt with by the Let it once be known that it is possible to are largely to blame, and it is one more of outer barbarian. His EXCELLENCY, however, go behind the back of the Minister at the the foolish capers that modern civilisation was not to be caught with such small chaff; Capital, and to obtain support from home, has been cutting in the face of Nature her and showed himself quite equal to the the influence of our Representative, will be self. That "men must work and women occasion, bis answer being that as the sub-seriously.inpaired in any matter in which weep" is not a mere trope; it is a laying ject appeared to be a party question, he the Chinese are disposed to be obstinate; down of the law. The assumed equality of could not express any opinion with regard and questions which might be settled at the sexes (if the women do not nowadays to it, but it struck him as strange that Peking by a little firmness will be referred claim superiority) is not warranted by the though the Chinese in the Transvaal had home, and the Secretary of State for Foreign data. The women workers, numerous and their own representative in the Consul affairs will be pressed to decide them not efficient though they be, are none the less General for China there, no complaints of upon their merits but according us they frenks. Owing to the greater intensity of ill-treatment had been made. He may have may be of adrantage for party purposes the struggle for existence in a community seen occasion to congratulate himself upon This may be a matter of serious i
ven over to cut-throat competi. giving so guarded a reply, when the debate port in this country ; hut the same; Hou and artificia appetites, marringe took place and Mr. BYLES declared that thing applies in other directions, so that it :as A career has been closed to many Lord MILNE had deliberately broken our is not too much to say, as has been freely engagements with China in acquiescing asserted in some of the home papers, that in some Chinese being flogged for some the effective result of the debates on the offence which was not dealt with by the Chinese labour question will be to lower ordinary tribunals. No objection whatever British influence in all directions. The had been made to this course by the Chinese position of any British Representative must Consul General in the Transvaal, who become one hardly worth holding if he is would look upon it as the simplest way of liable at any moment to be the shuttlecock maintaining order and quite in accordance of party politics, and to have his actions with the usual mode of dealing with made the subject not of judicial and well offences by Chinese. If the AMBASSADOR Considered official notice, either favourable had given utterance to the slightest protest, or otherwise, but of heated party controversy it is easy to see of what use would have been in Parliament, made of the fact, but in the absence of any thing of the kind we had the extraordinary spectacle of a British member of Parlia ment making a point of international protest on the part of China, which the Chinese never for a moment thought of making themselves. A more ridiculous exhibition from a Chinese point of view could scarcely be conceived. If the Chinese are at times inexplicable to us, we must surely appear equally inexplicable to them, when party spirit is carried to lengths such as these. Unfortunately, however, the matter has a more serious aspect, In an ordinary way the Chinese are quite ready enough to seize upon matters of grievance, and now a dis- tinct line of complaint, which they would never have thought of themselves, has been suggested to them in high quarters at home-as on this part of Mr. BYLES' motion the Government was with him, as they in dicated in the amendment they proposed. The Chinese ale by no means unlikely to learn the lesson which has been thus gratui tously taught them and probably they will
(Daily Press, 26th May.) better the instruction. If they find that a Tho startling statement recently made change in the Government may get their that more than four hundred members of particular views sustained, they will certain the new House of Commons are pledged to ly, should occasion serve, make use of the woman's suffrage" is far more significant information, and we shall find that they of the progress of the agitation than are will be able to turn party politics to as good incidents like the flag-waving from the account as the Dutch party in South Africa | Grille, the besieging of the PREMIER's re- have done in the present instance, by dissidence, the arrest of disorderly suffragists, crediting Lord MILNER and forcing in re- sponsible Government at a much earlier period than that at which it would other wise have been granted. The Chinese will
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be slew to learn a lesson of this character, especially when they are deliber- ately invited to do so. The notion of its
That the Chinese are well able to grasp this bearing of the matter is evidenced by the diplomatic answer which their AMBASSADOR in London gave when an attempt was made to drag him into the controversy. It is clear that he per ectly understood the object with which he was approached and with a very quiet touch of antire let his questioners kuow this,
In this particular matter there was no object to be gained by taking any other position, but the action of Chinese officials is likely to be very different if an occasion arise when it is to their advantage to work in the opposite direction. We may be quite sure if such circumstances occur, as is more than probable they will, the Chinese will not forget the lesson which has been taught them by Mr. BYLES and the UNDER Colonial SECRETARY in substantially supporting him.
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.
men. They have therefore entered into competition with meu in what was formerly always purely the man's sphere-that of breadwinner-aud male chivalry has been wearing thin under the strain, and womanly modesty has been usurped by a greater self-assertion. It is only from these women workers—with whose unnatural position we must sympa- thise-and perhaps from a few wives who are too well-off in a worldly sense to have legitimate occupations as a scope for their energy, that the outcry against woman's place in the social scheme has come and is coming. The normal woman, the old- fashioned haus-frau und mutter, is physically unfitted and temperamentally disinclined for the cares of the publicist. Even the modern product, her working sister, has not become physicially adapted to her changed condition, as all employers of female labour know. There should never have been any quibbling or nibbling with the question at all. It seemed plausible to admit that women were peculiarly fitted to be teachers of the young, chiefly because of the hallowed tradition of the mother's kuee; but as a matter of fact, there is no proof that children can absorb instruction better from a woman than a man. j.so happened that the male parent, being abroad hunting, fighting, or working, the primary training of the young idea devolved upou the mother. Her pupil acquired some sentiments, morals, and other more or less useful abstractions, to be gratefully remem bered in later life, with the affection that accompanied them; but practical instruc tion had to be obtained elsewhere and later. The function of the mother of the race is so important that Nature seems to have specialised, and omitted any endow- ments really capable of sustained applica- tion otherwise. When closely studied, the most highly civilised womau is found to be still closer to nature than man, less artificial, less of a poser. If her emotions and passions be considered, if her, attitude towards men, children, and especially towards other women, be observed it will be found that she is still in the a of barbarism. No disrespect is implied. She is elemental; unchanged because un-
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and the petitions and processions. There is no telling what reckless upsetting of the old order there may be, in case the gallant four hundred have the courage of their alleged conviction. A certain respect must be ungrudgingly paid to woman like the late SUSAN B. ANTHONY, and to some (not
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