The herald., 1896-06-07

itors, real or trumped up; even the
wifes own presents are seized to sat
isfy their greed, and the widow dragged
through this seething cauldron of law
Did you ever see or hear of the widower
passing through this mill and the COM
nunity property swept into the cease
less vortex and the man beggared?
Never. If the wife dies does the law
step in with its sacrilegious hands, enter
the abode where the Angel of Death has
been, overhaul everything from garret
to cellar appraise the household goods,
entering with their unholy presence
where the Reaper SO lately passed, label
every cherished memento? No! Only
the widow and mother is subject to such
sacrilege and indignity.
The civil code of California reads:
The property of the community is not
liable for the contracts of the wife made
after marriage, unless by a pledge or
mortgage thereof executed by the hus-
band" But the community property is
! not protected to the wife. The husband
may contract any debt rush into any
mad speculation or dissipation, wreck
the home, squander the property, sell
the crops or live stock that the wife may
have worked for and grown old with toll
and cares. But she has no redress. The
husband is the absolute master. If he
dies, out from the wreck the uttermost
farthing goes to pay his debts.
Another: THE husband has the man
aSement and control of the community
property, with absolute power OF dis
position, other than testamentary, as he
has of his separate property" Under
this statute he can convey the property
away so effectually that the law cannot
touch it, as the wife has no legal rower
to prevent his squandering in life or
bring a stay of proceedings after death.
AT marriage woman forfeits all legal
rights and freedom. She may in law
hold separate property, but q shrewd
scoundrel can get that in his grip, and
leave her penniless of her own, and af-
ter being legally robbed of the last dol
lar Of community property.
Again: mo person, whether parent
or otherwise. has any power as a guard
ian of property unless appointed" This
does not hold water, for a ia ther never
forfeits his legal guardianship, except
by crime idiocy or insanity: during life
his control of property, wife and child
rem Is absolute. Thank God, some men
are too noble to take advantage of it. At
the husbands death the mother be-
comes serf, a hireling; the probate
court sets aside her natural claims Of
maternity, and rules with power more
absolute and despotic than ever the hus-
band may have done. He may have pro-
vided well for the loved ones, making
AoiipC Gil dOOuc OL IONC anu COIlIOFt, OuL
this court sets aside all this and claims
legal mastership. With heart Of
adamant, it crushes out the property
and lives of its victims. If,the mother
marries again, a kind and judicious man,
who might take the place, in part, of the
father, no matter how capable both may
be, still the legal (?) guardian holds its
clutches upon the children.
Again: Parents adversely claiming
the custody or guardianship, neither is
entitled to it by right (who, then, has
prior right, but things being equal, IL
the child Is of tender years, it should be
given to the mother; II 1t be of an age to
require education or preparation for
labor, then it should be given to the
father"
Q Here again is a wise decision of law.
So long as the child will be a burden and
care in Its helpless infancy the father
does not want 1t; the mother then only
Is her natural claim recognized to nur-
ture and support 1t, with or without all
mony. But II old enough, then the
mother. no matter how superior her in
tellectual powers to the mediocre of the
fathers, she Is wholly incapable, in law,
Of educating and training the child.
Though morally UNFIT TO have the mould