Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-11
THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN
Mrs. Mussey Talks to the Federation Of
Clubs
Her Sex Has No Property Rights In
the District-Other Addresses
and business.

At the afternoon or business session Of
the District Federation of Women's Clubs
yesterday an election was held which re-
suited in the choice of the following Off
GERS fer the ensuing year: President Mrs
Ella Nj. S. Marble; first vice president, Mrs
L. A. Crandell; second vice president. Mrs
NJ. A. Griffith; secretary, Miss Mary F.
Foster; treasurer. Mrs. H. B. Sperry; au-
ditor, Mrs. Emily B. Coues.
The principal feature of the evening ses-
sion at the Church of Our Father was an
address by Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey on
the subject of THE Legal Status of Wo-
men in the District" In the course Of her
address Mrs. Mussey said:
No Property Rights.
I'm the District CT Columbia a married
woman has no property rights separate
from her husband. Every man is entitled
to his wifes services and her wages are
his. No matter whether she is a lawyer
or doctor, or belongs to any other profess
sion, {; government employee, a merchant
or a washerwoman, her earnings belong to
her husband and are liable for his debts
The marriage promise. With all my world
ly goods l thee endow,' means nothing on
the mans part until the bride becomes
widow, ard then she has the doweB right
ready Joined him in incumberng real es-
tate. married woman in this District hav-
ing right of dover in an equity OF re-
dempton.
lock is not the property of the mother
The father is the natural guardian. and II
he dies before the child is fourteen and can
choose Il natural guardian for itself, he can
name its guardian without regard to the
mother. And this is the case even with an
unborn child, ard the mother may be
forced to give it into the care of stranger.
Every man, woman and child of this Dis
trict has cause to devoutly thank God that
the District judiciary is composed of hon
est upright IN. who recognize the law OF
nature between mother and child as the
law of God. and refuse. whenever they can,
to regard the man-made laws, which are
relic of the dark ages
Repeatedly bills and petitions have been
presented to Congress looking to a change
and Improvement in these laws, but they
have always died in the session Yet this
is matter of very general business inter-
est Woman often controls very large
amount of capital, but she cannot do bust
ness, as no enc will trust her. If her huS
band is incapacitated for business without
being killed, his wife cannot continue the
business. no matter how lucrative or inn
portant it may lie, and is forced to either
sink to the position of an employe, If need
be. to earn money, or, if more fortunate,
mus. invest her capital in enterprises in
which she has no directing power. and at
a much smaller interest than she might
earn in her own business.
1.-The District Federation of Womens
Clubs represents $500 women and we are
pledged to exert our united forces in pro-
curing laws that will give women in this
District the same property rights as men,
Other business.
Mrs Musseys address was followed by
short talk by Gen. Eaton. Reports were
received from all the clubs of the fedora
ton and We're presented as follows: Wo-
mans National Press Association, Mrs. H.
B. Sperry: Pro Re Nata, Mrs. Lucia e.
Blount; Legion of Loyal Women, Mrs. E.
S. Mussey; District Woman's Suffrage AS
ISOLATION, Mrs Anna NJ Hamilton; Dis
trict Womans Christian Temperance Union,
Mr. NJ. A. Griffith; Excelsior Literary Club,
Mrs. n. H. Stearns: Loyal Women of Amer
lean Liberty. Mrs. S. d. La Fetra; Wash
ington Kinder garten Club, Mrs. Louise
Pollock.
The Kindergarten Club reported it's re-
cent election of officers as follows: Presi-
dent, Mrs. Louise Pollock; vice presidents,
Mrs. NJ. Chisholm Foster, Misses Corne-
liza F. Boyden and Rosalie Joor; directors
Misses Susan p. Pollock, Sara X. Lippin-
colt and Amy L. May; recording secre-
tary, Miss c. r. Watkins; corresponding
secretary, Miss Ellen E. Burden; treasurer.
Miss Nellie GisDurne; auditors, Misses Cor
della Mayo and Grace Hills.
Evening Session.
The opening address of the evening was
made by the president of the fedora ton,
Mrs. Marble, who congratulated the mem
bers the success of the allied organi-
cations, which, she said, had not only
grown in individual numbers and import
ance. but had also added to the rolls of
the federation. Two of the latest acqui-
tions, she said, were the Loyal Women of
American Liberty and the Washington
Kindergarten Club.