The Van Buren press., 1893-08-19
IN WOMAN'S BEHALF.
BEFORE THE LAW.
Antique Prscedsnts In Force In Great Brit
ain To-Day.

Antique Ef9C0donts In Force In Great BTU
ain To-Day.
The laws Of England are, in most
cases, what might be called "men's
laws" SO unequal is the justice they
deal to men and women respectively.
For instance, a man is eligible for
every Office in the kingdom, and is un-
der no restrictions rs to voting.
On the other hand, there are many
Offices woman can not fill, such as
member Of parliament, county coun-
cillor, etc, although she may be queen.
She can vote in certain municipal and
school elections, but for nothing higher.
She can not serve on jury except in
one special case.
All English temporal peers sit and
vote in the house of Lords.
Awoman may be peeress in her own
right, but she has no seat or vote
There is one recorded case of female
baronet.
All professions are open to man.
A woman may not be clergyman,
soldier, barrister or solicitor. She may
not even drive a cab or bus for hire in
London. But women have been parish
clerks and sections, A woman was
once high sheriff.
The law relating to inheritance of
land prefers males to females. In near
ly every case an eldest son. inherits,
to the exclusion of all other children.
When daughters inherit land they
share it equally. As regards personal
property, q man is his wife's heir, but a
widow is her husbands heiress only to
. limited extent.
When q man survives wife pos
sessed Of land he will, in certain cases,
own it all for his lifetime. In similar
cases, when wife survives her hus-
band she will have life interest in
only one-third of his lands.
mans domicile is not altered by
his marriage. A woman has to adopt
her husbands domicile for her own.
A husl..nd is prima facieontitled to
the custody Of his children. A wife has
no such right, nor will the courts read
lily grant it.
A man has right to select the relig-
lon Of his children.
A man has full rights over his own
property. A woman married before
January 1, 1888, has only limited rights
over property which was here before
that date.
All these points are decided favor
able to the man. But he does not have
1t all his own way, as the following
facts show:
Any adult man may be made bank
rupt or imprisoned under the debtors
act. A married woman can be made
bankrupt only If trading separately
from her husband. She can not be inn
prisoned under the act.
If a man orders goods in his wife's
name, he must usually pay for them.
A man must generally pay for all nee
sssary articles his wife orders. He is
even responsible, to q certain extent,
for debts she has incurred before mar.
riage.
A man is responsible If his wife COM
mits libel or slander, or does any
wrongful act for which damages could
be claimed. He is responsible in this
ease also, to q certain extent, for such
acts committed before marriage. A
wife Is never responsible for her hus-
bands wrongful acts.
A man may be compelled to allow his
wife sustenance money while she is car
rying on suit against him, or is forced
10 live separately from him.
In some cases married women may
testify privately as to whether their
signatures to documents were made
without fear or favor. Equity will as
sist wife, il her husband has made
some mistake in executing power OF
appointment in her favor.
There seems to be some manifest In
Justice on both sides, but the wheel OF
legal reform move slowly, and proba'
bly, a dozen Dickenses may write a
hundred "Bleak House" arrangements
Of the powers that be before any
changes will be made for the benefit OF
either party.-N. Y. Sun.