The Delta independent., 1893-12-06
IN THE EYE OF THE LAW.
LEGISLATION UPON THE
RIGHTS OF WOMEN.
In the East and south Her Status Il
Much the same Rs Under the Common
Law of England-In tho West lhings
Are somewhat Dinerent.

There has been marked move
ment of late years In number OF
states looking to general improve
ment of the legal status of woman.
The movement originated in the
states west of the Alleghanies, and,
although there have been a mum ber Of
champions of woman's lights, and
particularly of female suffrage, in the
Eastern states, their efforts appear,
SO far, to have borne very little fruit
From legal standpoint, the women
OF the Eastern and Southern states
bear pretty much the same relation
to their lords and masters (the men)
IS they did under the old common
law Of England.
The rights of q married woman to
property which is generally recog-
nized as her separate estate, are pro-
tected to q greater or less extent in
courts of equity all over the country.
But the main tendency of recent
legislation made in her behalf in a
number of states, has been to give
her rights before the law equal to
those of her husband in the matter of
acquiring and holding property and
making contracts in relation to the
management and disposition of it.
In short. the object sought is to
make the modern married woman, as
nearly as possible, q femme sole in
the management Of her estate.
In some few states the legislatures
have even gone further, and besides
comforting upon them the right OF
suffrage have sought to make them
eligible for the highest political
positions.
There have been q few isolated
cases of women running for munich
pal offices. and OF them being elected.
but none of them have as yet secured
allowed to grace the halls OF the ma
tional congress as full-dedged con-
gressmen or senator's
In the states OF Wyoming and Kan
sas female suffrage is firmly estab-
lished. and women are eligible as
voters at all elections, but in the
balance OF the states where their
suffrage is recognized at all it is
limited principally to school matters
and small municipal Offices
As notaries public. clerks and as
sistant clerks in political bodies and
assemblies they have obtained
wider recognition. and the possibili-
ties in this direction in the near fu-
ture are beyond conjecture
A brief glance at the prevailing
laws and recent changes made in q
number Of states, East and West. re-
veals some interesting facts.
In New York for the past two years
women have voted for school COM
missioners and been allowed to hold
the same Office. They may also hold
property in their own name.
In Connecticut no law has been
passed relative to the rights Of
women over property since 1877. In
1877 law was passed allowing them
to serve on boards of education,
school caGnmittees. etc.
In Maine women have no rights
worth mentioning.
In New Hampshire they may hold
property and be appointed notaries
public
In Massachusetts a bill is annually
introduced styled the municipal
suffrage act." and is promptly killed.
No laws have been passed changing
their legal rights in any respect.
In West Virginia. by recent act
Of the legislature, married woman
can deal with her property as II she
were a femme sole, except that her
husband must join with her in q
deed conveying the title to real es-
tate.
The only noted change in the Ohio
law is that q single woman who has
been appointed executrix or admin
istratrix OF an estate may continue
to act as such after her marriage.
In Michigan and in Florida there
have been no changes. while in Illi-
nois and Mississippi laws have been
passed of late years which enable
women to act and deal with their
property pretty much as men.
They have no suffrage in either
state, but may become notaries, hold
clerkships and the like.
In Texas and in North Carolina
the homestead rights OF women are
protected, but their general proper
ty rights have not been materially
A number OF bills have been intro
changed.
duced in the state Legislature OF
Indiana to enlarge the property
rights OF women. but they have
almost invariably been reported ad-
versely by the committee and failed
to pass.
In Montana no laws have been
passed recently affecting the legal
status of women. At present, how
ever, they hold all the positions as
county superintendents OF the county
schools. and also a majority Of the
clerkships in the legislature.
In California women may hold
property separately; may be post
mistresses, school directors and