The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-03
THE WOMAN'S COLUMN
Women Who Declare They Have
All the Rights They Want.
Woman in Artistic Claims Place by Right
Of Prior Discovery-Spanish Creoles
Compared With Americans.
To be womanly Is the greatest charm OF wo
men. Gladstone.
GALL THE RIGHTS 1 WANT"

GALL THE RIGHTS 1 WANT"
An Article for Women Who Make This
Declaration.
Editor Homdn's Column, Morning Call:
1t Is common to hear women say, " have
all the rights want" when they are simply
living in comfort by permit of the men in
whose power they are. OF rights" women
have few, and the happy mother vino fancies
that her children and her belongings are
hers holds them BY permit of their father,
who, If he chooses, can appropriate every
garment which she calls hers. sell or give
away every dollar of their mutual earnings,
and apprentice their children to most uu-
worthy persons. The law gives her no more
rights" than it gives the washerwoman who
can only sue her delinquent debtors jointly
with her husband, and whose husband can
collect and spend her earnings the same as
'his own separate estate" Her husband
can sell her false hair, her watch, her skirts,
her shoes and she has no redress; they are
virtually his. Women need not pride them
selves on their superiority, rs for AL the
rights want position, no credit is due to
them; they simply have M arrled men, men
who need no law to make them just. If we
have any law at all it should be for those
| who intend to be unjust and our pres
| ent code is admirably adapted to help
such. While the husband lives the
wife usually has nothing and expects
nUthing. Probate is the test, and the in
justice of our laws in regard to woman is
plainly eXempiifed in the case of Mrs. NJ
q. Norton, widow of the late Professor ii.
b. Norton of the San Jose State Normal
School. This lady, though acknowledged
| by all to be in no way disqualified for the
| office OF being her children'S guardian, has
| nevertheless been obliged to undergo tile
humiliation of being appointed to her Cod
| given-rights by the courts of California
three times, and each time with much finan-
cial loss She was first appointed by her
husband in his will. and thi, had to be
| passed upon 10y the court and admitted to
| probate. with attendant expenses; second,
| afteI delays and more expenses letters of
administration and guardianship were
| granted her. Mrs. Norton thought this
vas all and congratulated herself on being
| Mt last the lawful owner OF her own chill
! dren; bat Professor NortOu'S father dying
about this time, the children became heirs
to their fathers portion of this estate.
| Some OF them being minors, the
estate had to 60 through the process
| of chancery in Illinois, and this precipitated
| more troubles upon Mrs. Norton. She
| was Informed by the master in chancery in
| the case that she was not yet her cnildren's
W
| one must De appointed by the Federal
| courts. A mother will suffer much and
fight long and well for her children, and
| though Mrs. Norton felt quite disheartened
| at the difficulties of her situation she deter
| mined that the custody OF ner children
| should not pass into other hands while she
| lived, If it could possibly be prevented. Of
] course she h ID to employ lawyer to assist
| her, and with his aid she again petitioned
| the court A ter some time and much red
| hnnnS hnnhla m
! sum now left due the children, her petition
| was granted aud she was again pronounced
the lawful guardian of her children, but
| Mrs. Norton says she lives in daily terror
| lest by some other complication of law
| processes she again finds herself bereft Of
| her Inherent and natural rights. on,
! m0thersl How long will you suffer aud
still say you have ali the rights you want?
Professor Norton was woman suffragiSt,
| knew and dtplured the injustice melted out
| to woman, so he did what he could to pro-
,ect his wife by deciding her the mos; valu-
able part OF his property and making 4 will
! naming her the guardian Of their children
! and giving her what lie had not already
/ decided her. He did everything that man
i can do under our laws 10 save her from
| probate taxes, but 10 little purpose, for the
settlement of the residue cast about $1,000,
| and the humiliation and anxiety OF being
| twice hailed 10 court TO be questioned as re-
! CARDS her fitness tn manage her cnidien's
| int rests. .IhPn comes the Illinois legacy
] and again, third time, Mrs. Norton must
| submit to the iudigEity of being appointed
guardian OF her children, and the costs will
take about half the legacy. The more debts
] there are the more costs. In this case the
| Judge and lawyer are both friends, dis
| posed to IKE all as cheap and easy as pos
| siOle. Mrs. Norton is an educated woman,
| not easily fooled, aud Mr.. Norton had in :
tluentiaI friends ready tt interpose if in
! justice IS done, So it is pro-
; bate transaction about as simple as
! possible, and the experienced think
her fortunate; that tying her up in business,
! digging deep gull between her and her
| children. and taking the lions share of the
net assets is no Injustice. Let men reverse
the laws for the widow and the widower for
one day and what conversions to woman
| suffrage there would b-l Women feel the
| Injustice as a disgrace and dislike t. say
anything about it. All widows resent It,,
and only as a favor to a friend did Mrs. Nor
| ton allow Ter name IL be used. trust ting that
| the facts may help ST m women out OF the
| apathy IN which they sluH rrr waiting Tor
| Probate Court TO wake H.. 81 up. trusting
that men will see what traaineis they have
! woven around themselves, disabling them
from being jus. if they would. These
| probate matters are heather Legacy; men
| are to blame for allowing themselves, their
mothers, wives and daughters TO be SO use
lessy robbed, and women are just as much
| to blame. Every married woman lives with
a Damascus blade hanging overhead, yet
must disclalm all interest in laws, courts or
probate offices. If illiterate they dare not
think. the subject seems so intricate; if edu-
| Gated they shrink from agitation IF the ques-
! tion and spend themselves in caring for the
victims. We are thus bound because we do
not unite for our rights. SIS.