The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-18

hsve counted the cost aud for thirty years
one entire genereuon-hsvs a v5n it that
influence which being once Awakened Is
powerful to maintain, Notwithstanding the
immense DISADVANTAGES to which they have
been subjected. They have had TO over
come habit, custom, and public opinion and
submit to such restrictions that il IS no Won
der that every boy as he yells Ike Conan
che Indian, is glad he is not girl. You
younger women have but Little conception
of the ridicule, vituperation and DISCUS ing
epithets applied to the noble pioneers, who
read in the Declaration OF Independence
that Taxation without representation is
tyranny" This convention lasted ten days,
and was among the fret In the nited States.
1t was through this association organized az
that time that the agitation vas kept up
which resulted III the demands OF the wo.
man for property, educational and indus.
rial rights. When the free schools were
fut organized they were made with refer
ence 10 boys. II was argued that IS boys
were TO be the rules of this great and
free government boys ought TO be educated
IN order 70 be able governors. Women were
not allowed to teach in the public schools.
as they were supported by public funds, and
men by virtue OF their sex were entitled TO
public moneys. How absurd thgt reason
ing seems now. Truly as one has said the
nineteenth century Will be the middle Of
history, with its universal activity, and IN
usual restlessness, its currents and counter
currents, its progress and reaction. Among
the enterprisiDg spirits of the early woman
reiormstion was Robert Dale Owen who
made demand in the Legislature, that il
pass laws securing TO women the property
they received by inheritance, Two preach
ers opposed the measure saying If wives
had possession OF their property their hus.
bands could not control them and if things
VOrlG
their property and set up for themselves"
Preachers though they were they must have
bad terrible women for thir wives, or they
were OF the Carlyle stripe, who maintained
man must be supreme ruler CT whatever
cost or else were bachelors, and had not
learned perfect love cauteth out fear. Mr..
Ovens bill was passed however, and another
link was rivited in favor Of equal rights.
On the 10th OF January, 1859, the first pc.
tition was presented to the Legislature by
Mrs. Agnes Cook, who briefly invited Q can
did consideration of the subject. DR.. Mary
4. Thomas read petition signed by more
than thousand women to pass laws giving
equal property rights to married women and
to take the necessary steps 20 amend the
State Constitution so as to enfranchise
women, She claimed these rights then as
now on the grounds of absolute ustice.
Mrs. Mary Birdsall followed with clear
concise argument, occupying about half an
hour. The petition and the addresses were
referred to the Committee of Rights and
Privileges" which reported that Legislation
on this subject is inexpedient 1T this time"
Except during the War the Indiana
Woman Suffrage Association has met yearly
az the woman suffrage sentiment is So
ii, q that were it not for the ignorant and
vicious elements the women Of cur State
would take ar active part in politics. By
our own PEOPLE the capacities of women are
We ii understood and when one sees the vast
charges in the position of women for the
better, it is impossible not to hope for better
things in the future.
To quote from Our Herald; I'm Indisna
but short time ago wife had no right to
her own earnings. She might 90 out and
work all day, her hrsband could follow and
collect her wages, by law they rightfully
belonged to him. A woman could make no
will, could engage in no business, she could
not sue or be sued, she could make no con-
tract, she could do no legal act.
1.-The continual struggle OF women for
Justice ard for room in which to grow and
act has caused our legislators to remove the
bonds of those barbarous laws and recognize
woman as an equal partner in the great
struggle of life. At the present time in In
diana the Jaws In regard to man and woman
as TO property, crime, wills, contracts, ETC.,
stand very nearly on an EQUAL footing, an
exception being in the case of widows who
receive but one-third of the real estate, and
so much personal property, must suffer the
inconvenience Of uDj ust appraisement, sales,
ETC., while the husband upon the death of
his wife, lives on uninterrupted by outside
authority. But this relic of IN ust legisla-
ton, like all others. must soon be erased
from our statute books. Many years can
not pass by before our legislators will recog-
nize that the home and claims of the wife
upon the death of her husband must be as
sacred and free from intrusion, as is now
the case of the husband upon the death OF
his wife,"