New-York tribune., 1879-11-28

mtee rooms are always crowded. whenever the friends
Of suia appear to argue their cause In re-
gard the election OF school committees eVen there N
still some dissatisfaction Having secured what they
asked for leaders OF the movement are dissatisfied
with the price they have had TO pay for IT, and Will de-
mand OF the Legislature that the polltax on women
shall be reduced from the present rate OF - 10 nan
that amount. They argue that II man by paying -
enjoy the right to vote for National State and mu-
ncipal officers woman ought not TO pay more than 81
vote school committee merely, and In the coun-
try towns, where the town meetings are not held
till MarcD, generally delaying registration
until they know whether the price of ballot IL to be
reduced or not. Other movements are hined at, but
inquiry fails to disclose their nature.
The work OF registration in Boston must have proved
Disappointing the friends Of the movement. IL was
claimed that advantage would be generally taken
of the privilege and that the vote cast by the women
Wa ud show them To be n considerable power I'm the
community but the records OF the Board of Registra-
tion show that 900 have taken the steps
necessary qualify themselves for the ballot under tie
act This nearly enough 10 throw the balance o
power in,o the hands Of the women and make an ALI
with them necessary 10 the success OF any one or
the rival parties II the three thousand women
whose had been counted had taken the Interest
the that had been expected OF them the case
would have been quito different, and the male voters
would not have able ignore the demands OF The
women hut under the present circumstances their
influence Is worth taking into consideration. More
over. interest in the new order OF things Is
SO restricted that not nearly all Of the women
who are registered will vote. The registrars
state that they doubt II more than threeiourths
of those entitled 10 The privilege Will appear 81 the
polls for bave stated IN Their nearing hat tuey
did not intend vote but put their names on the voting
lists as an indication tnat they IN sympathy with
the underlying principles oithe movement ana as IN en-
couragcnent TO others II may seen small matter 20
upon-tlis election oi the School BOard-but IN
Boston II Il an AFFAIR oi considerable moment lhere
a great competition Tor llaccs ON tue committee ana VI
probably within hounds 10 that there are at pre-
ent at least hundred apants for the eight seats that
are 10 be filled week from next Tuesday.
Although the assessors ANA registrars have little SYM
patty with the movement and md their duties
dered ardu0us by IT, IL must justice be sad
play. Nothing @ required Of them tDa i not asked of
the wouli1e male vucr and no less than fifteen places
have been provided m various parts OF the city 10 dc
tate the work ~ registration. The officials have ex
plaiued with infinite good nature all the knoty points IN
The law aud answered all the perp eAing questions
which puzzled feminine ngenyity could devise, ana
cannot Team that any complaints have been made ~ ihc
way In which the Jaw has been interpreted and carried
ont
Exception must be made. however the of Mrs.
Lucy Backw IL. who has proved thorn OF great
magnitude in sides OF the unhappy officers OF cleo
ton The trouble all iIises out OF her When she
married Mr.. Blackwell II with the understanding,
to which both parties submitted that she should retain
her maiden name, aud be known at I'll times as Lucy
stone Thus she been known 10 everybod' aud
con paTativey few people have been aware thai size
could legally lay claim TO the name Of Blackwell There
is no statute this state which compels woman ON
marrying. 10 take her husbands name, but common law
sanctions Ihe custom: "a transfer her
rleht of dover or be party 10 legal transaction only
i'm the name which her husband gives her and only
suecia enactment OF the Legislature can restore her
tne right 10 be known by the name owned before
marriage In view OF these facts therefore the assessors
and reg refused to accept her taxes or place her
name on he voting list except Mrs. Blackwell and this
name she strenuousy refused 10 acknowledge. BY
curious train of circumstances, which have not before
been made public however, she appears Lncy Stone
upon the ASSESSOR books and voting lists. to the great
of he officials. when 10 became known tbat
she was determined to vote Lucy Stone or not at all
strict orders given a both places t1at under no
circumstances was sue to he allowed the privileges OF
the law except Mrs. Blackwell Before this however,
a clerk the Assessors office who had never heard Of
ncr eXceptas Lucy stone happened u be on hut "heh
she presented herself To pay her lakes, ana as NJ nap
pened To have heard nothing OF the order nc made ont
her bill IN her maiden name, received heF uur anu re-
ceipled for them Armed with the recelpted bn she
moved upon the Board O. srtion, aud by most
cXraordlnary piece vl P"ou luck uuhu III .e once tne
only clerk who would tnke her name young man who
had lust The occ and who han somehow failed
TO hear the prohibition above m'hii"ncp AZ soon i5
tnc officials found out how easily she had evaded all
nothing OF the safeguards taken aganst herthey
naturally much cagiine,l aud were compelled 10 resort
the unpleasant necessity Of erasiug her name from
the lists and sending her notification that
q mistake had been made. and that she must not at
TEMPT 10 take advantage OF it, What Will be the
tins ease not yet known. The CY solicitor T. pondehg
over H. aud Mrs Stone shows strength di.posl-
ton hold the ground she has taken. Somebody must
new movement viii have 10 keen away from the polls
This insisancc upon name sceins TO those ont
side the movement rather fine point bur IL has always
been q matter OF principle with Mrs. stone. she has
refused tO ~ member or the school Committee,
because, If she became candidate she must allow her
name be used as Mrs. Blackwell and several LEGAL
trans actions of her husband have nearly fallen through
because OF long refusal 10 sign documents with amy
other than her maiden name.
II Is impossible to make estimate Of the probable
of women the state at the coming election. tc-
question Of the pOltaN wnich il alluded 10
above; but good Judges put the figures AT about 5000,
about wnnt the sauguInc Trends Ot the
expected in Boston alone. The women who Will vote
Of the best classes representing mothers OF families,
property owners ana teachers and 80 the prom l.
celeu for the future of the movement In Lowell, Tor
instance, out of long list OF women registered all Dut
prOpcrtyOwners teachers or heads OF families,
aud OF these yyo pliODs Is missionary and the
other dressmaker. special proNisohs arc erihe na.e
give the pleasant Impressions OF their hrst
ecction and the Board uf Aldermen. at IT'S meeting lst
night passed order prohibiting smoking IN ward
until afternoon out OF respect To the preludces
OF the This years vote l. merely cX peri
ment, but il IL results satisfactorily large registration
is almost certain next Fall.
THE PRESIDENT IN PHIL1DELPHId.