Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-08


Mrs. Carrie B. Kilgore, of Philadelphia,
is a plucky woman. For more than a
year she has been seeking admission to
the bar of Philadelphia. Her final sue
cess shows that perseverance, properly di-
rected, will win nine times out OF ten.
There are four courts of the Common
Pleas in Philadelphia, each of which has
three judges. Mrs. kilgOre was refused
admission by three of these courts. Able
arguments were made in her behalf be-
fore all of them, and the refusal in each
instance was conveyed in an deliberately
written opinion. Three refusals did not
dishearten Mrs. kilgore. She is lady Of
determination as well as of ability and
culture. She applied to the fourth court.
over which Judge Thayer presides. and
success at last crowned her efforts. The
Judge held that the only qualifications
for admission which the statute required
We're honesty and an acquaintance with
the law. He found that Mrs. Kilgore was
honest and that her knowledge of the law
was excellent. In the course of his opinion
he said: If there is any longer any such
thing rs what old-fashioned philosophers
and essayists used TO call the sphere Of
woman it is, it must be admitted,
sphere with an infinite and determined
radius. She is found in all the pursuits
and professions OF life, not only working
out her own independence. but entering
into competition with men for the highest
rewards Of ambition. It's surprising that
! any one should speak with apprehension
Of
women are TO seek fortune and fame in
| fields which were formerly denied TO
| them. Such persons should awake from
their slumbers-the revolution is over.
Are we TO take notice Of these changes
| and recognize the weighty facts which
they have brought to bear with them, or
are we to set ourselves to the vain task of
attempting to turn backward the wheel of
time to convince history that it is all
wrong, and to say at this time of day that
woman shall not be permitted to pursue
! the vocation that suits her taste and for
| which her studies have qualified her? 1t
| does not seem 10 Us that such a decision
would be in the line of wise judicial dis
erection, but that we should rather thereby
| ignore rights which are now everywhere
acknowledged and bind anew old burdens
which elsewhere have been cast off,"
The fact is recognized by the Judge that
women are no longer to be confined to
| line of duties selected for them by men.
| They are entering all the avenues in which
a livelihood is to be earned, and they are
| cOntending with men for the prizes of am
| bition and wealth. As yet they have the
| right of suffrage in only a limited area,
but who is to say how soon that right will
be accorded them in every State. If any
one had suggested ten years ago that the
majoritys of a committee of Senators of
the United States would ever report in
| favor of woman suffrage, he would have
| been laughed at. Such report has been
made. however. and doubtless it will be
| the occasion Of a very interesting debate.
| Women are now to be found in all the pro-
| fessiOns and nearly all kinds Of business.
| Many Of them are very successful. The
| number who will become bread-winners
in occupations at one time mOnopolized
| by men is certain to increase.