The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1891-05-20
THE STRANGE CONDITION OF THE
WOMEN OF SACRAMENTO.

A1dE S1RANGk CONDIIION OF THE
WOMEN OF SACRAMENTO.
Under the laws of the United States of
America the women of the republic are
citizens. Under the laws of the State
Of California the women of the COM
monwealth are citizens, are taxed, may
and do hold elective offices, and in GER
tain cases can and do vote. They can
acquire and hold property, conduct bust
ness, give testimony, make wills, bring
and defend suits at law, must pay taxes,
may prosecute criminals and must suffer
punishment for offenses.
Women can be and are admitted to the
bar ofthe Supreme Court; can and do serve
in State Offices and draw salaries for their
work. They can incorporate under the
laws to carry on any lawful enterprise;
they can apply for and do receive licenses
from the Board of Trustees of this city to
keep VIGOROUSLY low and vicious dives.
Women sit upon official boards; they dis
charge official duties; they can be Nota-
ries and take acknowledgment to deeds
of transfer or certify to acts as commits
Toner of deeds. The nation will send an
other Charleston after another Ttata for
violation of the rights of citizen woman
as expeditiously as for the infraction of
the rights of citizen man.
By the code whenever the masculine
gender is mentioned in the law, except
1t is affirmatively otherwise provided, it
is deemed to mean the feminine also.
The people, says the Political Code con-
sist of the two classes, those citizens who
are electors, those citizens who are not
electors. The same law says citizens are:
First, all persons born in this State and
residing within it, etc.; second, all per-
sons born out of the State who are citi-
zens of the United States and residing
within this State. Also, every person has
in law q residence. The Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States recognizes the rights and
residence of all persons born in the
United States, or naturalized as citizens,
irnmunities and privileges.
In Missouri the local option law pro-
vides that counties SO voting may decide
to issue liquor licenses only when the pc
titions therefor are signed by majority
of the taxpayers. The women of twenty
two counties of the State all became tax
payers and claimed the right to repre-
sentation upon such petitions. The Su-
preme Bench of Missouri unanimously
decided that they are citizens and tax
payers, and as such have the right to be
heard on petitions and protest in the local
option cases. Every State in the Union
where like issue has been presented has
held in like manner,
Sacramento has an ordinance requir-
Ing the petition of a majority of residents
In the block as an essential to the grant of
liquor license for that block. It has re-
manned for the Board of Trustees of the
city Of Sacramento to decide, under the
leadership of blushing and gallant law
yer, who, since his new assumption, has
not the temerity to look his wife straight
in the eyes, that the women of Sacra-
mento are not residents of Sacramento.
Before this new Interpretation of the
Law we bow with contrite submission.
We put behind US the tradition that a
woman is a citizen, since all citizens must
be residents, but, as a woman is not
resident, she is not citizen. Women of
Sacramento, you are between the devil
and the blue sea- you are and you are
not; henceforth you are neither fish, flesh
nor fowl. You may own all the prop
erty in block, be the sole residents of a
block III the heart of city; there you
may have blooming generation of new
citizens springing up about your knees,
but in the name of reason what right have
you to reSides
In the midst OF the paradise where you
exist but do not reside, Satan sets up
rum mill, but not being residents-though
somehow you live within the block, pay
taxes on it, raise children in it and some
times the devil also-you cannot be recog-
nlzed as residents.
To what end, oh, women of Sacra-
mento, have you come? Always a nlys-
terry, always delight; always loving,
forever perplexity, joy, sorrow,
contradiction; always refuge for weak
and tickle man-in what new and mystic
rious condition are you placed, for have
not new Daniels come to Judgment and
declared-and who shall gainsay their
sapiency-that you are neither here nor
there; you live and are not; you exist