The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-07

AZ regards the right Of WON en- TO succeed to
the throne. there are several different reRula-
tons now in force in monarchical countries
In certain States women arc absolutely ex-
clude1 from the succession. This regime IL
that OF the sale law and the prototype OF IL
was furnished by mOnarchical France. 1t Is
true that. under the fsudal system. thero were
several female fefs. but in tho he lie france
male succession was at all times absolute and
as one 1ef after another became merged In tho
kingdom OF France the rule gained wider APP
plication, and finally Uecame a public law for
this whole monarchy Tho principle was
more than once contested. but It emerged
victorious from the Hundred Years War with
England. and on the accession OF Henry w.
its triumph was nnal The countries now
governed BY the salic Inv in all It's ri0or are
Belgium. Italy. the scandinaviau kingdoms
Luxembourg. and Roumania. 1t was by tho
operation Of this law that the Grand Duchy Of
Luxembourg became detached from tho King
dom Of the Netherlands in 1900. on the ac-
eession OF tho child-lueen Wilhelmina
According to n second system OF succession.
tho right OF women to succeed is recognized
but only in secondary way: that is to say.
the crown passes to women only In default OF
male heirs to the reiGning house. This order
Of succession Is established in Austria, In
most o! the German States, and IN Greece.
The Austrian order OF succession was estab-
lished by tho famous pragmatic sanction OF
Emperor Charles VI. In 1713. which. In default
OF male heirs. admitted to tho throne the
daughter OF the late Emperor. passing over
tho heads of princesses OF the elder
branches. The Constitutions Of Bavaria Sax
ony. and Wurtemberg expressly state that. in
default OF male successors. tho crown shall
pnss to women. Tho law OF Baden admits not
the succession OF females, but success
sion through females; 10 other words.
the throne would 20 to sons OF q prin-
cess. but not to tho princess herself As to
the I'm perial throne Of Germany. this. by
virtue Of the Constitution OF the empire. be-
longs to tho monarch who occupies the throne
Of Prussia. Could that occn pant be woman;
that Ia to say. In default of all male heirs are
women excluded from succession to the Prus-
sian CROWN Upon this point the Pruss!an
Constitution 10 dumb. and only stipulates FOR
the order OF succession In the male line. while
II does not state that that line Is the only one
qualified for the crown: nor do tho laws OF
the royal house solve the question. rs tkey
merely indicate preference for male success
sion. We may add that the commentators OF
Prusslan law are divided In their interpreta-
tion OF these texts
There Is still n third systom OF succession
under which women possess a right OF sue.
ceeding to the throne soncurrently, or noarly
concurrsnty. with males. This system obtains
In Spain. Portugal, England. Russia. and Hol-
land. and used to 10 rmed the Castilian law,
because 1t WIS laid down In tho famous S,rs
J'arttdds (which appeared In I2COl that the
succession to the throne OF CASTLE should
always pass In direct line. and IL there were
no male child. the eldest dauG liter should sue
coed. Philip ". tho first Bourbon King Of
abolished this order Of succession and
adopted the Salic law. which prevailed in
France. In 1850. however. tho Cortes. instI-
gated by Charles ". passed an act rovertIng
TO the custom o: the Sieip Pdrtiols and In
1880 Ferdinand VII promulgated this act OF
l7se In order to secure the throne to his
slider daughter. Isabella II. His brother. Don
Carlos. maintained that the King had no
right alter forty years to enforce a law that
bad never been proclaimed. and his partisans
took up arms to oppose tho accession Of his
niece. vi. OstroGorEki is mistaken In saying
that Ferdinand VII. left only one daughter
Isabella H. there was another daughter who |
married the Duke Of Montpensier the son OF
Louis Philippe. The Constitution OF 1876. |
which Is now the organic law OF Spain. sane
ions the admission NJ women u the throne
but the Carlists still! dispute tho Legitimacy Of
oauottohs III tno HtnosS OF |
women to succeed is recognized By the |
Con stitution now In force. Tho princi- |
pie followed In England 10 that, ~ in |
he same line there are no male heirs the |
succession reyerts TO the eldest Of the prin- |
'essss. although there may be princes OF |
younger lines. Thus Queen Victoria sue |
'eeded her uncle. William w.. who left no |
ssue but who had a surviving younger
brother. the Duke o., Cum berland. A tho Duke
u Cumberland however, was younger than the
deceased Duke OF Kent. the lAtters daughter.
Victoria. as representing the elder line took
precedence. The author OF this essay is again
mistaken In terming Queen Anne the niece OF
Ter predecessor. Mary. Both Anne and Mary
ssre. Of course. daughters OF James II. By hts
lrst wife, Anne Hyde. In Russia. palace revolu-
ions placed women upon the throne for nearly
hree- auarters OF q century after the death Of
'ster the Great. When. finally. the order OF
uccsssion was regulated BY statute lin 1901
he right OF women TO succeed to the throne was
expressly recognized. The funcament ia! Nv OF
he Netherlands, revised IN 1881. fixed the order
4 female succession 10 the same way As the
IussiAn statute. On tho whole. these two
ountries assign TO women a lower place than
pain. Portugal. or England. where. II there
r. no male heirs In the frat degree. females
an succeed to the throne. In tho Russian
m pire. and in the kingdom OF the Neither
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