Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-13

JOINT OWNERSHIP.
Miss Anthony admit that every point
OF law Nebraska has enacted is good; II is so
much justice given to women. and MIR. Rose
water has shown us some cases where in
Justice has been done TO the men; but,
mark you, that men made the injustice
themselves. We didn't do Il. Very few mar
ried women have any money of their own
for inheritance. They have to earn their
own living II their parents die. What l
want for the women OF Nebraska Is a law
that shall sea that the wife Is equal owner,
as well as the husband, OF the joint earnings
Of the marriage co-partnership. The wife
does her share OF the work and is entitled
to her share OF the earnings
MIR RI don't know what women would
do II they had II all their way. There is
case in this city. A gentleman, who Is quite
wealthy, married a lady who at the time
OF marriage was very poor; in fact, working
for living, but that Is no disgrace. The
husband found II convenient in some bust
ness transaction, and perhaps to protect his
wife as well as himself, to transfer his os-
tate to her. a few months ago that lady
Gicd, and after her death 1t was discovered
that she had wlled a mansion worth $25,OOO
to her son, leaving her girl and husband
without a home, and leaving the husband at
the tender mercy OF his boy.
Now, a few more points about law. Divorce
is sometimes as common in Nebraska as in
Massachusetts. Our statutes say: "a di-
vorce may be decrced, on complaint Of the
wife when the husband, being of sufficient
ability to provide suitable maintenance for
her. shall grossly or wantony and cruelty
refuse or neglect so TO do. The court may.
either during pendency Of suit for divorce
or after decree, make such order as to the
custody of minor children and their main
tenance as il shall deem best for the chill
dren" This means that woman may ask
separation from her husband, and he is conf
PEELED to provide her ample support to live
without work, If she sees fit to be idle
during her natural life, or until she gets
another fellow to support her. Oaughter)
Our laws provide that the husband shall
enter into bonds that this alimony will be
paid How il it with the husband? suppose
the wife has the property, and he has none.
Has he any show to compel that woman to
give him a dollar of that money, even If
he is a cripple? lie must take care of him
self, whether he marries again or not.
Uaughter.)
There are many other laws for the pro-
lection of women | have not time to emu
merate and many more Will be enacted by
men for the welfare of their mothers, sis
ters. daughters and wives Every man
knows his wife is liable to be widow, and
his sister or daughter may remain un-
married What man in the legislature
would not use his best judgment to
ameliorate their condition and protect them
against everything that would expose them
to want or discomfort. Let me now Cdll
the attention of the ladies who want to be
lawmakers to some points recalled to my
memory, while looking over the journals
of the house of which | was member.
l remember two or three bills which created
quite stir in the galleries when they were
read in the house. One of these was an
act to amend section Of an act
to punish ofenses against chastity,
morality and decency. The other was an
act to restrain bulls from running at large.
LaughterD Now such laws are necessary.
and in enacting them the details have to
be discussed. As a matter of deliCacy and
propriety woman should not ask to sit in
a legislature to discuss such subjects.
maintain II woman gets the ballot and gets
into legislatures, there is more danger cf
her being degraded and debased than if
they let men do the voting and law making.
Now let us discuss the
QUESTION OF LABOR.
We have heard great deal about labor
ingmcn in other states. | want you to un-
derstand that we are in Nebraska all the
time. We are not In Massachusetts, New
York or Connecticut, but we are in glorious
Nebraska, that gives to woman whatever
she could reasonably want or ask for 1t
is unreasonable for these women to come
here and ask us to change our constitution
because women have grievances in other
states. | spent four or five days to ascer-
tain definitely the wages of women in
Omana ana NEBRASKA, WIN the IOllOWlnB re-
suit: Domestic employment, nurse girls from
Sl.50 to $3.50 per week, with board, lodg
ing and washing. This Is equivalent to
from $50 to $35 per month. General house
work, $3.50 to $500 per week. with board.
lodging and washing, equivalent to from
$37 to $55 per month. Cooks from So to 81
per week. with board. lodging and washing,
equivalent to from S55 to sos per month.
Housekeepers. from 81 to SO per week. with
board, lodging and washing. equivalent to
from S65 to $50 per month. Washer
women charge $l.25 to $1.J0 per day, with
board, equal to from $50 to S5S per month,
Domestics, on farm, from $S to $l2 per
month. including, board, lodging and wash
ing. Girls in book binderies employed as
feeders and folders, earn from SO to IS per
week for nine hours. Work boys in bind
cries. from SO to $40 per week, for ten
hours Men can do all kinds of work, while
women are used only in special work. Girls
employed in shirt factories earn from 81
to SS per week; in the laundry from 81 to
$40 per week. The shirt hands work by
the piece. II they put in their full time
they would get better wages, but they often
lose several hours a day or whole days
from various causes. The principal woman
in the shirt factory earns $50 per month
The male clerks in the shirt factories earn
from Si5 to $50 per month. Girls employed
in millinery and dressmaking establishments
earn from So to S2O per week, according
to skill. A first class dressmaker can earn
800 per month. This viii compare favor
able with skilled and unskilled labor CT
men In factories.
In dry goods stores the female clerks
receive from Sc to sl5 per week; first class
saleswomen from $G5 10 $S5 per month.
Tho wages Cf male clerks in dry goods and
clothing stores range from S25 to $75 per
month, the average being about $50. In
tho Union Pacific land department one fe-
male clerk receives $55 and the other $75
Tho latter began at $50 three years ago and
has been raised to $75. The female clerks
in the ticket department receive the same
salaries as men employed at the same desks,
As general thing girls work less hours and
do a good deal lighter work than the men
employed in the establishments. Girls en-
ployed by the telephone company receive
from $25 TO S32 per month. This class
OF work requires very little skill. Female
operators in the telegraph Offices receive pay
according to capacity, their pay ranging frcm
S25 to sos per month.
The Paxton house pay roll shows the fol
lowing wages for men and women: House
keeper. $50 per month, board. lodging and
washing: assistant hOusekeeDer, $50 per
month, board. lodging and washing; laun-
dreac, $50 per month board. lodging and
washing; assistant laundress, $40 per month,
board, lodging and washing; ironing girls,
$lj per month. board, lodging and washing;
linen girls $l5 per month, board lodging
and washing; scrubbing girls. Sl2 per month,
board lodging and washing; chambermads,
$l2 per month. boHrd. lodging and washing.
The pay roll OF male employees is as follows: