The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-13

obviously facilitating the transmission Of the
mails and of freight immensely. At the same
time it will become another bond of good uu-
derstanding and peace.
wOMENS RIGHTS IN ENGLAND.
From the NJ Y. Sun.
bill giving to married women the right
to the control of their own separate property
passed the British House of Commons some
days ago; but it sticks fast in the House of
Lords, which, though willing enough that
poor working women should be protected in
the enjoyment of their soanty earnings, is not
yet quite ready to accord the same privilege
to the wealthier classes. To be sure, by the
help of documents called marriage settle
ments, wife's lands and money may now be
kept safe from her husbands clutches; but
to allow the same result to be reached with
out the aid of lawyers, and the payment to
them of enormous fees, is to the Lords an
innovation not to be endured. SO the bill
has gone to a special committee, whence if it
emerges at all, it will probably be with such
changes as will make it a measure of only
partial Justice.
In fact, the question of womens rights
shows better than any other the chaotic con-
dition of public opinion in England on the
great reforms of the day, and its general
backwardness of development as compared
with our own country. While there are per-
haps more Englishmen than Americans who
are prepared to put women on precisely the
same footing, politically and socially, as men,
there are yet vast number who, like the
members of the House of Lords, hate to give
to them even the untrammelled ownership
of property earned or inherited without any
Intervention of their husbands. Long ago,
while Lady Caroline Norton was making
Europe ring with the story of her wrongs in
being compelled to allow her husband to
pocket the fruits of her literary labors,
we had passed a law in this State which re-
moved all distinctions as to the rights of pro-
perty between married and unmarried women.
And yet, after the lapse of twenty-five years
since we first set them the example, we have
the spectacle of the highest dignitaries of the
kingdom of Great Britain hesitating to imi-
tate us Arguments which have been refuted
over and over again, by experience as we'll as
theoretically. are brought forward anew as
worthy of grave consideration; and it is seri-
ously urged that a measure which with us
has produced no evil whatever, will overturn
the foundations of British society.
One can hardly help suspecting, in view of
the attitude of the Lords on this question,
that they are more influenced by motives of
a selfish, personal nature, than by regard
foi British domestic happiness. 1t has been
SO long the fashion for the scions of noble
fan lilies to supply the waste OF the absence of
pecuniary means by marriages with rich pie
beians that it would no doubt be a severe
deprivation to them to have the law so
changed as to render their wives instead of
themselves the real heads of their establish
ments. For, however willing man may be
to take money by marriage, he does not like
to be reminded of his obligations every day
of his life. If, without any settlement, in the
arrangement of which the future husband
must necessarily be consulted, wealthy
bride could 60 right on, and, when the honey
moon has waned, fall back on her dividends
and her rents the same as if she were still
unmarried, it would make it rather awkward
for the other and impecunious party to the
arrangement. He would have rank and title,
but she would have the money, and that is the
main thing after all. No wonder that peers
with large families of sons to provide for, or
with empty Golfers of their own that need re-
plenishing, cling with obstinacy to the good
old custom, which transfers absolutely to the
husband on the wedding day all the wife's
personally, and the usufruct of all her real
estate.