Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-10-15
WOMEN IN TURKEY.

ONA - - ~.
The first wife has no right to oppose
her husbands marrying second, third
and fourth time. He is not compelled
to even ask her opinion about the mat
ter. He is free in the premises, so long
rs he does not exceed four wives. The
only instance where the consent OF tho
wife is required is in case the husband
wants to marry cousin or an aunt OF
hers. She may oppose and prevent such
all alliance. II he insist, in spite of her
opposition, he must repudiate the wife
and pay her dover. This sometimes Is
very difficult thing to do.
The dover is obligatory, though it i'
not necessary that it should be part OF
the contract. Its amount is fixed by
agreement. AS rule it varies accord
ing to the social condition of the woman.
Thus, in case no dover has been al.
lowed, as often happens, the judge fixes
it under the law; and although the
law has fixed some limits to it, still 1t is
left to the discretion of the judge. lie
NAV make it sufficient for the kind of
living to which the woman has been ac-
customed.
In making the dover obligatory, the
code has in view principally provision
for the repudiated wife. The code
means that she shall have decent sup
port for the period of time she is for
hidden to marry. This period is elk
months. Dover is intended also as
shield against too frequent regulations.
1t ha appens often that though the hus-
band is dvsirous of repudiating his wife
he finds it impossible to pay her dover {;
so he abstains from repudiating her.
The law fixes the dover to five hundred
drains of silver, or sixty-fve ounces Of
silver. This is but a pittance now-a-
days; but it was fixed by the prophet.
This IL tho amount which he accessed
for his own wives. 1t must have been
ADEQUATE for the few necessities re-
auired by a woman among the Arab
tribes at Mecca and Medina thirteen
hundred years ago. Besides, it was
fixed at an epoch when silver was
scarcer than it is now, and before bo-
nanzas of the white metal had leaped
out Of the sunless temples of the earth.
Moreover, anything which is capable
of being legally acquired may be made
in payment of dover, except wine and
hogs! One of the odd forms of dover
is the teaching of chapter of the Koran
by the husband to the wife. 1t is an
opious, though pecuniary equivalent!
Dover also may be slave. or house,
or anything of value. If the husband Is
not able to furnish them he is liable for
their value. The dover may also be
agreed upon after the marriage. The
wife NAV exonorate the husband from
The dover, or she may commute IL for
something elso, She becomes the pro-
prietor of the dover, and may legally
dispose of it; but should the husband
divorce her before the marriage is con-
sumated, the half of it reverts to him.
Should she forgive him that which be-
longs to her, the whole would be his.
II slave be assigned as dover, and she
should emancipate the slave, and she Is
divorced before the consumation OF she
marriage, she is liable for half the value
of the slave. In case of dispute with
regard to the amount Of the dover, the
word of the husband is preferred until
the contrary is proved; whereas, II ne
acknowledge the amount stated as the
dover, and alleges its delivery, but
fails to prove it, credit is given to the
word and oath of the woman.
The code provides as to the time to be
devoted by the husband to each one OF
his wives, in case he Las more than one.
This rule of law has its initiative in the
organic law that each man has right to
four wives, and that a man has the abso-
lutte disposal of all the hours OF the day
for himself. The law allows noright to
the wife TO claim the attention OF her
husband during the daytime. 1t creates
an obligation upon the husband to di-
vide the rest Of his time equally between
his wives, or 1t least he is not bound to
make his court, or to be with one wife
more than once in every four days, and
this whether he has one wife or more.
! II among his wives there is slave, she
has the right only to receive half the
time allotted to the free wife. This
does not include slaves or odalisques
who are rot lawfully married.
The temporary marriages being adj
mitted only by the Sheeahs, and these
temporary contracts not being under
general Mehammedan law, it may suf-
fee to state that such marriages can be
legally made for one month or one year.
They are allowed by the religious rules
of that sect.
The harshness of the marriage con-
tract toward the women of the Moham-
medan countries is greatly exaggerated,
| il not entirely fanciful. Marriage 10, a
We have said, civil contract. Ii il