Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-09

Married Women's Rights-Protection
of the Insane, Etc.

"To change the common law of marriage to
the customs of modern civilization in the Dis
| trict of Columbia and the forts and arsenals of
the United States" is the rather startling :itle
of bill introduced in the House by Mr.. Jos.
ID. Taylor. 1t provides that the common Law
as to the disabilities it imposes on mar.
| ried women during coveture and its effects
upon all her natural rights of womanhood ID
| hereby totally abrogated and the wife shall re.
tain the same legal existence and the same le-
gal personality after marriage as before mar
riage and in all cases she shall have the same
right to appeal in her own name alone to the
courts of law or equity for redress and protec-
ton that the husband has to appeal in his
own name alone. The bill also provides
that the rights and responsibilities of the
married parents to the custody, control and
earnings of the children shall be equal and in
case of death the mother shall come into DOS
session of the children and estate just as the
father does in case of the mothers death. Ii
Is provided, however, that the act shall not
confer upon the wife the right to vote or hold
office, except as is otherwise provided by law.
POSTAL RIGHTS OF INSANE PERSONS
Mr.. Taylor also introduced bill for the re-
lief of persons confined in insane asyiums in
the District of Columbia, the forts and arsenals
and the territories Of the United States by
placing the inmates under the protection OF
the laws by securing to them their postal
rights. The preamble recites that the inmates
OF insane sylums outside the pale of justice
and beyond the reach of the laws by having no
| means of access to the laws while deprived OF
their post office rights, and that justice de-
mands that this link should be legally estab
lished. The. bill then provides that every
inmate Of an insane asylum, both put lie and
private. in the places specified shall be allowed
to choose one individual from the outside
world with whom free and unrestricted cOrre-
spondence shall be allowed. new choice can
be made every three months.
STREET RAILWAY COMPANIES TO REPORT TO con-
GRESS.
Mr.. Atkinson yesterday introduced bill re-
quiring all street railway companies in the
District to make annual reports to Congress.
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE.
Mr.. Lee has introduced bill in the House
establishing a new::department IN the District
to be known the insurance department
which shall be charged with the execution Of all
laws relating to insurance, the chief officer OF
which is to be appointed by the Commissioners
for the term OF four years and receive a salary
of $4,000.
RAILROAD BILLS REFERRED TO THE CoMMIs-
sIoSERs.
The Burton railroad bill in regard to the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad was today sent
to the Commissioners for their report. They
were asked to have their report on the bill in by
April Is, the time set for the final hearing
on the several railroad measures. The Com
missioners were also asked to have a report
ready at the same time on the bill introduced
by Mr.. Springer early in the session opening
an avenue through the mall
THE DISTRICT MEDICAL SOCIETY.
Senator DOlph has introduced a bill to
amend the act incorporating the Medical So
ciety of the District of Columbia.
The proposed amendments wipe out of
existence the board of examiners and the right
conferred by the act of July Z, 1888 to charge a
fee of $40 for the certificate to practice.
Another amendment proposed strikes
out section 5 of the law. which
now provides that no person shall
practice medicine i'll the District unless he has
either a license from the medical society a
diploma. The amendments, if adopted would
allow anyone to practice.