The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-13
THE WOMAN's MEASURES.
Language of the Bills Increasing the
Rights Of Mothers,

Rights Of MOtherSs
Parents to be Made Jointly the Guardians
of their Minor Children-The Case of
Those Who Live Apart-Measures
which Remedy Condition Which
Has Been Used as an Argument for
Woman Suffrage.
Augusta, February ~. It not regard
I'D as probable that the legislature Will
sxtend to woman the right Of voting In
municipal affairs, although there is
pretty general opinion that the bill may
pass the House. Bat three bills which
have been favorably reported by the
judiciary committee givesto women rights.
the Withholding of which has heretofore
been made one of the grounds for the ar
gument in favor of woman suffrage.
These are the bills previously mentioned
to give the mother equal rights with the
father in the care OF minor children. One
aueudstory of section 3, chapter 81, r..
S., relating to the appointment OF guard
iaus. strikes out tue following But the
father if competent, otherwise the noun
er If competent, shall have the care OF
the person and education of the minor, "
and inserts in its place words " hich make
the statute read as follows:
Section 3. Such guardian shall have
the care and management OF all MS
wards estate. and continue in Office I'M
til ahe ward is twenty-one years OF age,
unless sooner lawfully discharged; nUt
the care of the person, and the euuc8tlon
of the minor, shall be jointly with the
father and mother, If competent or Ii one
has deceased, with the Survivor, II COM
petent; otherwise these duties deVolse
on the guardian; aud in any case. the
Judge may decree them to him, II he
deems it for the welfare of the minor,
until his further order"
The second bill is that introduced by
Senator Savage and its passage is looked
upon as remedy for that state OF
affairs into which marital difficulties
sometimes lead parents when one pur-
sues the other with the intent OF virtual
" kidnapping the children. Such cases
now and then make interesting reading
in the newspapers. Judge Savage would
nut an end to that condition OF this as
follows:
Section !. Fathers and mothers shall
Jointly hay4 the care and custody OF the
persons OF their minor children.
Section = Il the father and mother OF
a minol child are living apart from
each other, the judge OF probate IN Inc
county where either resides, on petition
of either, and after such notice to the
other as he may order. may decree winch
parent shall have the care and CUSTODY
of the person of such minor as the good
of the child may require; which oecree
shall be in force until further order oil
the judge OF probate.
Section g. An appeal shall lie from
the decree of the judge of probate to the
supreme court of probate, which appeal
shall be heard and determined by the
Justice presiding; but the decree OF the
Judge Of probate shall be in force until
reversed.
Section 4. This act shall not be con-
strued TO deprive the supreme judicial
court of its jurisdiction over the care
and custody of minor children under the
provisions of sections SIX and seventeen
of chapter sixty of the Revised Statutes,
relating to divorce proceedings.
The third bill is to amend section one,
chapter 62, RS, relating to masters, ap-
prentices and servants by striking out
the following words: "Children under
tho age of fourteen, may be bound as
apprentices or servants, until that age.
without their consent, by their father,
if living, if not, by their mother or legal
guardian" and inserting:
"In all cases where the care of the per-
son, and the education of minors under
fourteen years OF age have been entrust-
ed to the parents, or to either of them,
or to legal guardian, under the provis-
ions of section third of chapter 67 of the
RS, such children may be bound as APP
prentlces or servants, until that age with
out their consent, by the parents or par
ent so entrusted or by the guardian SO
entrusted, with the approval of the judge
OF probate, and in all other cases, such
children may be bound as apprentices or
servants, until that age, without their
consent, by their father and mother, II
living; if either has deceased, by the
survivor. If both have deceased, by the
legal guardian with the approval Of the
Judge of probate as aforesaid"
These measures have been suggested by
leading Maine women, and as they are
backed by the unanimous report of the
judiciary committee, it is likely that
they will pass without serious opposi-
ton.