The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-29

HER LEGAL STATUS
Miss Philbrook Tells the
Teachers Club What
Women May Have
and Do
HER CONDITION AT COMMON LAW
tribute to L. c. Stanton, Susan B.
Anthony, Lucy Stone and
Julia Ward Howe.


A social meeting Of the Jersey City
Teachers Club was held in the
Club house. Belmont avenue, last night.
The musical part of the programme was
In charge Of Mr.. w. r. Williams. who
rendered a number of selections with the
assistance of Mr.. George Arnold of New
York, Mr.. Kirkham and the Boy Choir
of the Park Reformed Church, Masters
Blackwell, A. Brown. Newton. Ryno,
Shelley. SHEDS and Wilson. Selections
were given from the Jersey City '"op-'
era, ..Cinderella with Variations" COM
posed by Mr.. Williams, n a number of
old songs, not emitting ben Bolt"
which Master Samuel Wilson sang very
nicely.
The address of the evening was given
by Miss Mary Philbrook on "Woman's
Legal -Status-Should 1t Be Altered?"
She said:-"I must confine my talk to
the laws relating to women as they are
in force in this State. The laws of New
Jersey do not restrict the rights Of I'M
married women except that they are not
permitted to vote or hold elective Off
ces. 1t is said, and it. comes to us as a
fact in history, that prior 10 1907 the
women In this State possessing certain
DEODtIlH udtkllCd lOlG W.
vote for all elective Offices. In the spring
Of 1907 a special election was held in Es-
sex county to decide upon the location
of a court house and Jail.
The question excited much interest.
Not only was every legal voter, mar or
woman, white or black. brought cut. but
or both sides gross frauds were prac-
tised. The property qualifications We're
- A.. a-.~oo r7o, oljars and minors
participated. and many persons, it is
said. voted early and often. In one town
ship, thought TO contain about 800 legal
voters. over 1900 votes were polled, but
it does not appear that either the women
Or negroes were more especially lmpii-
Gated in these frauds than the white
men, put the affair caused a great scan
dal, and the women seem 90 nave Deem
made the scapegoats, for in 1897 the Le-
rage. From that time until 1873 the right
of suffrage in any fornI was denied. all
women. Then they were allowed 70 nold
tricts. and to vote at school meetings.
This was not permitted in cities. our
constitution expressly provides that only
and when this matter was brought be-
fore the Supreme Court OF our state, u
was decided that women could NOT vols
for school trustees. The women are NON
irving to procure a constitutional amenu
,nenI to this wnicE cannot be submitted
oftener than once in five years. az.
ssAn unmarried woman in private NE
is in fact endowed with all the privileges
Of a man, and is likewise subjected 70
all fhe conditions and obligations result,
ing from these privileges. save one. ana
that is relief from Imprisonment Tor
fraudulentiy contracting q debt. A mar
ried woman is also privileged rem d
rest under the same circumstances. 1ne
laws relating to marriage are princlpally
governee. by statute. A woman cannot
marry in this State nth she od Is y u n
Guardian. After marriage her legal status
IS altered. AT common law tre exist,
ence Of a married woman was a niet h'Sl
band. Her condition, # he chose to make
it SO, was far worse than mat o. an avg
rage slave; + bef Is true re tnn law wi Is Decidedly R9hsy
improved, but in accepting, THIS vast
change n the liberties ard privileges
which the law now affords us W. " w aog urz
VINO have wrought this change. The
names Of Elizabeth Gady sf an1ian SM vsaa
Howe and a host of others should COM
niard Che same respect and admiration
as Of those who fought, for, national m
dependence. They fought for woman's
"a husband is liable for the debts of
his wife contracted after their marriage,
her contracts to bind him are void. One
If the most important branches of law
concerning women is that Of dover.
makes for. the widow out Of the lands
Of her husband, for her support, after
his death. The word dover has reIer-
euce to real estate alone. To constitute
q right of dover there are two requisites,
| first, a legal marriage; second, the es-
tate of the husband in the land must pc
one to which he has absolute tille ~
his own right. ~
IA common law during the life Of the
parents a father was lne isgar g sthl I Viii
or give away his children WITHOUT any
regard to the mothers claim. The law
was the same II tbs Dis state e st Hnen ~ : m 1eW
purposes legal guardian of his infans
Children. If husband and wife separate
Without Just cause, and the chii ! drha are ,s
emitted to the guardianship Of them, but
| The statute expressly puts the fathers
rights upon the cond ~ ? h,,s shad h fSat = "a 9
e init, ltpon application to the Court,
i mother may retain the cn ,sd ! ~ q
| titled to them until they arrive at that
| AGE. unless 1t can be proved mat she
is .s Hnfit To- prl hagsb eneaa S ok; isstestate a
@nropcrfy for life. The remainder de.
eehjIdren the remainder goes to the dead
mans nearest relatives. AS regards the
personal property Of a man dying intes,
lEtAfA the INV dliQ w % CA
81 it and the remainder goes to the chill
ldren. II there are no children, the wife
Ia entitled to one-half the estate, and
The ba!ahce may be claimed by her hus.
| bands relatives. While speaking q tne
"a Tvs OF descent, It may perhaps. be in
terssting g KNOW that It. g nr shlld,s r rad
| Sisters il ne has any; if not, then IS
his father. inc only when there IS nc
| aliaWed% 70 take it, and then only fol-
Life. At her death It is TO be divided
amonr the near relatives of a chld. a
regards the personal property Of q child
lthe law gives the father the right to II
I'M III case Of hts death. the child,s
brothers and sisters and motner share
ssuch is woman's legaI status; should
/ 1t be alteredgs
were served by the Entertainment Com.
mittee. Misses Bowly, Potts. ~. Hyat'
and Whitaker.
MISS LANNON'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
A pleasant birthday party was given II
j honnp ~ Annie lannon's eighth birth.