WOMAN'S EIGHTS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 3032, 9 July 1875, Page 2

WOMAN'S EIGHTS.

(From tlie MeiroTcu Zuchi of Japan) "■ Since Messrs Mori and Fukuzawa advanced their thethis regarding the equal rights of husband and wife, clearer views of these relations have become apparent to us, and it is probable that the bad habit husbands have of looking down upon their wives, and the pernicious custom of concubinage, will cease, that husbands and wives will hare equal power, and the deeds of Messrs. Mori and Fukuzawa will be pronounced to be great. If we look into the theories ofi Europeans oa this subject, it would ■ appear that the possession of equal power' \by husband and wife is based oa natural reason. But if we observe the practice of Europeans, it would appear that the power of the wife is greater than that of the husband, and that this error has been brought about by the want of a correct view of the dictates of nature. We will point out examples of this. In going through a door the wife passes first and the husband follows her ; the wife takes the best seat and the husband the next best; in visiting the wife is first saluted \ in forms of address, the wife is. first.mentioned. If oreover, while n\en are in the company of ladies they must be particular in their conversation, and are not permitted to smoke without the ladies' pertnis? sion being first obtained. These and like customs are innumerable, and the power of the women is far greater than that of the men. • • Europeans are accustomed to these habits and sec nothing unreasonable in

them, but in oriental eyes they seem strange indeed. Being lately in the company of some foreign ladies I smoked as I pleased. But a foreign gentleman approached me and requested me to desist, a* the ladies disliked it. Of course, I did bo, being desirous of conforming under these circumstances to European customs, •which, I presume, forbid the practice. But I found the prohibition most unreasonable, and the person rude who asked me to desist. The reason men are thus prohibited from smoking is that tho ladies do not like it. But if I smoke, I do so in virtue of my rights as a man, and if the ladies do not like it they should leave the room. The dislike of women to smoking subtracts from the pleasure of men, and there surely can be no reason in this, as it involves a limitation of the freedom of power. The dislike to smoking is not confined to women ; many men also dislike it. But I find no reason for making distinctions between men and women in such a matter, and for smoking before the one and not smoking before the other. If smoking were immoral in itself, or if it injured the health of others, I would most assuredly not smoke. But ■when it is not a thing prohibited by law or morals, and a distinction is made between smoking before men and before women, I fail to see the reason of it. It seems triflingio give an illustration of so small a kind. But I adduce it to show that the equality of rights"between hus band and wife is much misunderstood, and that men , idolize their wives for the. purpose of pleasing them. And this is the reason* why some of the celebrated women of Europe hp.v'e behaved in a manner which it pains us even to hear of, and which is terrible. At present there is much discussion in this country as to the relations which should exist between men a,nd women. . It is well, therefore, that bur learned men should take this into consideration, otherwise the power of the other sex will grew gradually, and eventually become so overwhelming that it will be impossible to control it. Ye learned men, what are^your views ?