Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-06-03
WOMEN AND THE STUDY OF LAW.

TIE Uttk, Toronto
Prejudice dies haId, even In the last
decade OF the nineteenth century.
Witness the attitude taken by some
legal light. In the Ontsrio assembly on
tue debate on Mr.. Bslfour's bill 70 con
fer on the law society power 10 admit
women to the study Of law. What
possibko reason can there be why
women should not be permitted 10
study law II they wish 10 do ~? l.
not jurisprudence one OF the noblest,
the most profound, the most broaden.
ing and elovating " all studies In
which the humHn mind can engage?
By what right, human or divine,
should the masculine moiety Of our
citizens take II upon themselves 10 say
that they must have monopoly Of the
study Of tubs ennobling science? The
men, puro-minjed, far-sightel crra.
lures that they are, are afraid,
forsOOth, that N women are per.
mittrd to get n knowledge uf law,
they may wish 10 enter the courts TO
practice II, anu la the course Of their
practice may some day come In con.
tact with something 30 pltchy ae to be
NJ 20 be handled only by their COM
peer OF the other sex. Is not such Au
Argument ~ this little too late In tho
dAy2 Has II not now boon pretty we'll
demo nstratvd that women may be safe
ly left " follow the dictates OF their
own innate aud cultured SENSE OF pro.
priety. aud that they are quite as we'll
qualified 10 Judge what IL modest aud
becoming for them NJ are the average
OF tneir mentors Of the other sex2 Is
Il not, indeed, lust ~ possible that
the presence OF ladies at tho bar should
have the effect occasionally Of modify
ing the character OF the crOss-exsmina-
lions IN certain classes Of criminal
cases, aud Of preventing the putting Of
Unnecessary and outrageous questions,
ueilher Justice noe m0dcsty would
suffer from the changer
But the question In not whether II Il
desirable that women should practice
az barrlstcIs ia all kinds OF casts. IL Il
whether they shall b. permitted 10
share educational advantages which
are furnished at the public expense,
aud 10 which women therefore cou-
tribute their share OF taxation. II Il
also whether woinen can be trusted 10
govern themselves In accordance with
their own sense OF proprlety, or whether
II IL necessary that they should be TO-
s,ricted and hamporod vt every turn by
limitations prescribed by the sex which
has hitherto had a monopoly OF the
law-making business, and which 4.
ooly just learning ut thls late day 10
use that monopoly with anything like
n lust and reasonable consideration for
the rights Of the other sex.
We certainly nre not particularly
anxious " see women advocates In the
| civil and criminal courts, but wo are
anxious that women should be at
| liberty 10 follow this or any other
honorable business or profession, : they
choose to do 30 aud can lind demand
| for their services. We confess that we
have never before given much though,
to this particular Phase Of the question
Of womau's sphere, as II has never be.
fore, we believe, been made living
question In Canada. May We he par.
donod II We add that the weakness OF
the objections raised agalnst Mr.. Bal
fouI's bill, even more than the cOgency
OF the reasoning In Its support, have
convinced US OF the essential Justice OF
the measure. When able opponents OF
a given proposal are forced 10 resort To
such reasoning IA was used by Mr..
Meredith In the case In question, !,
SCENE pretty safe TO conclude that they
have somehow got ON the wrong side.