The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-05
rHE0 BALLoT5 YoE woMEs.

woman sd9fraee- The decision wEs al
versa to all TIE anenduents excepting
only that Ehish proposes 70 allow women
% vote for school officers. and as 20 that
no actions was taken. TIE discussion Of the
qaestioa On tbs platform and in the pub
lie press befors the ssscmbIipg Of the con-
verftion was ardent. interesting and COM
plete on both sides. Tie ablest champions
81 WOMAN suffrGgs held public meetings
before ths assembling OF the convention
3 and were granted full hearing before the
committee. These champions Of woman
sufFsge were. however. met by counter
agitation which enlisted women Of IS high
intelligence and character IS any Of the
champions of the proposed enlargement Of
the suffrage.
% la this antsgonisn and the indifference
Of the great mass of women TO this ques-
ton tie proposition met its deseAt- Moth
ing better has been said on this subject
than isfound in very able and temperate
article contributed to the June Forum By
Matthew Hale, very distinguished law
yerC Of Albany. Mr.. Hale eYst inquiries
whether the possession Of the night of suf-
frsge Is necessary for the protection of the
women Of the Empire state.
q Single women, spinsters or widows have
always had in New York the same pro-
lection as men with respect TO life. liberty
and property. butt married women were
6dnlier certain disabilities at the common
oIawunul fs4s, when it was enacted that
the real and personal property Of any
woman who might thereafter marry, and
which she should own at the time Of the
marriageoor acquire after marriage, should
nos be subject TO the disposal Of her hus-
oband or be liable for his debts, but should
BE her sole and separate property. subject
TO herdisposal. as II she were single
woman. O0
II is now the Law Of New York that DO
property, real or personal, belonging to
married womandss subject tothe disposal
of her husbapdsSA married woman may
take ~ will, FAS convey and devise her
asssal ar personal properly ss Il untDar-
sled She may contract TO the same ex-
tent, and with like effect. and in the same
form, as If unmarried. She may carry on
business on her Own account and is enti-
tied to her earnings from her trade. busi-
ness. labor or services. No man can bind
his child to apprenticeship or service. or
appoint a guardian by will unless the
mother, If living, assent In writing thereto.
Husband and wife may convey real estate
TO each other without the Intervention of
third person, as was formerly held
necessary. C3O e.
In at least one respect the wife has now
an advantage, in the matter Of property,
over her husband. The husband cannot
deprive bis wife OF her right of dover.
either by deed or viii, without her con-
sent. The wife may. by deed or will. de-
prive her husband OF any interest what
ever in her real or personal property with.
OUTFITS consent.
Q omen, whether married or single.
have the same rights before the law of
New York as men. In no respect are they
inferior or at disadvantage. Mr.. Hale
points out that these changes show that
woman's influence is Just as powerful ane
elective without the ballot as with 1t. The
appeal to mems sense Of justice and fair
ness has been as efIectual in securing thor
rights as If women had actually partici-
pated in running elections or making
laws.
Mr.. Hale might have gone further and
pointed out the undeniable fact that the
colleges aud schools for the higher educa.
ton of women have been almost uniformly
established by the benevolence and wise
generosity OF men, Men have given
women their legal rights and the fullest
opportunity for education of their own
motion rather than yielded them under
feminine pressure. Men have opened the
way for the entrance OF women into the
many new employments instead Of dis.
couraging them from kuch pursuits.
The right of suffrage of which women
are deprived has never been treated as
natural right in men or women. Until
/ is22 no citizens Of New York could vote
unlsss possessed Of certain property quail
tcations. In some states today all Hitter
ate persons are excluded. An arbitrary
age is fixed in all. under which none. how
ever mature or intelligent, are allowed &
vote. The tight TO vote has always beer
and always necessarily must be. limited in
some way. Referring to the common orl
OF female snfiragists that the exclusion o
women from voting while they are taxed
8. s'taxAtion without representation, +" Mr.
Hale says;
sIt by this Il is meant that In ever,
/ ~ no. s II
entitled, as q matter Of right 10 vote
s1eh position is entirely untenabls. tn
property Of miners Is taxed, but 20 on
/ claims that such taxation Is tyranny he
cause the mineys cannot vote. The maj
who owns LAID In sny state where h.
does not rssids Is compelled 20 pay take
| an the state who're his larsS are situated
| although be cannot waite Tor toe person
who make the laws Of that state, Bot M
one would claim toas taxation Of ia
property Of apon-resident Is such taxa
| ton without repTesea tStson' IS was oh
iected 20 by eur toofat9ars. Does an
| one imagine thai II the colonies As such
had bsen represented ia TIA British pAri,a
ment ihoxs who hy tie lays Of the col
\ onSes were not entitled TO vote for sacs
| representatives would have raised the crS
Of 1axassOn without representation 2 :"
4 The legislature 81 New York few year
ago changed the law 80 as TO open the doc
Of the legal profession 10 every womai
Who might desire 70 enter Is, provided Sd
possessed the qualifications required q
male applicants. Womea enter the med
cal profession sna achieve distraction
There Is no law extending them from "a
q palpit. there is no profession or oeeapa
tioa In Die state q New York from whic
women are hy law excluded. Tasrs ar