It seems but the other day since ten of the leading Indies of Shanghai formed themselves into a Committes to relieve the 200 millions of Chinese women from the 1,000 years old torture of foot-binding each staked ten dollars on the table round which they were gathered; then wept bitter tears on being met by mockery ]in "Expresses and Burlesques at once got up to laugh them down. To use their own words, they began to work "with the hope that this Society, that begins by consisting almost entirely of foreigners, may in a few yours become rather Chinese than a foreign Society." And uow that the ton years, for which they planned to work, are nearly up, they are ing a grand Chinese demonstra-against binding in the grent Shanghai Town Hall for to-morrow at 2.30 p.m., which it is hoped Chinese Shanghei Natural Foot Society, or len Tien Teu Hui, may be formed, By the express wish of the Chinese gentlemen, who attended in their hundreds on the afternoon of Christmas Eve a meeting in the same Hall, Chinese ladies are invited' not only to be present to-morrow but also to be among the speakers. The mooting is convened by Taotai Shen Tun-ho, who will also preside on the occasion. The only speech in English will be that by the President of the Tion Tsu Hui, which will be interpreted by Dr. Gilbert Reid, but any foreign ladies or gentlemen, really Interested, will be welcome, although seats can be reserved only for the Vice-Presidents of the Society, representing most of the Consulates-General hero established, and for those who have already applied for them. Since the formation of the Society an Imperial Edict has been issued, and proclamations put out against binding by five Viceroys; one is naturally already promised by our own nowly-appointed Viceroy, who as Governor of Shantung memorialised the Throne to forbid binding in the houses of all officials under the penalty of losing office if they transgressed. Nor is it likely that the energetic Wei Kuang-tao of Fakion will allow himaolf to be left out in the roll of Viceroys enforcing the Imperial Edict. Whether the Viceroy of Shensi and Kensu will then remain alone neglectful of the Empress's appeal to all high officials to use their influence to prevail upon Chinese not to mutilate their daughters' feet, remains to be seen.
What we would wish to recall to the [attention of our readers is, however, the greatness of the enterprise undertaken by those ten Shanghai ladies nearly ten years ago.
Who has not seen little ladies at Canton carried pick-a-back and terrified on to foreign steamers? But few have. seen the women on the Mongolian frontier toiling in the fields upon their knees because their feet are too small to stand upon! Who has seen the women of Kansu with foot so mutilated that they even move about their own houses upon their knees Who does not revolt at the ides of such cruelty, such suffering, induced: simply and solely in order to win favour in the eyes of men?
Is it not high time that the young men of China signify in some other way than by words that they wish for brides
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.