The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-12-03
WOMAN HAS MANY ADVANTAGES.
What She Would Lose Should Her De-
mand for Equal Rights BE Granted.

What She Would Lose Should Her De-
mand for Equal Rights BE Granted.
To the Editor of the New York Times:
The suffragists are claiming that
the only property privilege of any
consequence (which women have
over men," and which they must
lose if they lower themselves to the
legal standing of men by obtaining
the right of suffrage, is "the right of
wives to a support" and they claim
that in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah
and Idaho, where women vote, there
has never been made an effort to
abolish this right"
Every lawy er will smile as he
reads that statement, and am will
ling to believe every man in New
York State will recognize its falsi-
ty; but women unfortunately do
not seem to be aware of their own
legal position, as they assume in
some Instances that the statement
given above is correct.
For the benefit of the women of
New York State, Mr.. Editor,
would like to be allowed the privi-
lege of stating briefly what women
would lose if they demand equal
rights. Until the year 1913 married
women were subject to certain disa.
bilities in regard to controlling and
disposing of property and making
contracts. Single women, however,
whether spinster or widow, have
always had precisely the same rights
as men, and the laws have been
made so favorable to all women that
to-day their rights are not only
equal in all respects to mans, but
in many cases superior.
A man can not sell and give a
good title to real estate until his
wife joins the deed. She can sell
her real estate without her husband
consent and the title is valid.
Men realize this often when they
real estate, that they may, in case of
future financial embarrassment,
have home provided for them; and
many a woman who lis taxed with
out representation" is so taxed on
property that is virtually her hus-
bands. A man can not dispose OF
his property by will, so as to deprive
his wife of her one-third interest.
But she can will all her real and
personal estate-even the property
he has given her-to any one she
desires to, leaving her husband
penniless.
A father can not apprentice his
child or appoint a testamentary
guardian for the child, without the
consent of the mother.
If a woman leaves her husband
for proper reasons, he is compelled
to support her; but if she has the
property in her name and he be
poor, she need not support him. If
a woman sues for divorce her hus-
band must grant her alimOny for
life, even if she remarries; but she
need not do the same by him If he
sues for a divorce.
Any married woman may carry
on any trade or business, and per-
form any labor or services on her
own account, and her earnings are
her sole and separate property, and
may be used and invested by her in
her own name. She may sue and be
sued alone. She is joint guardian
with her husband of their children.
What legal advantage can she then
obtain by the ballot? 1t has been
repeatedly shown that the question
of wages can not be affected by
legislation, or that, if it could be, it
could not be enforced-and yet, even
here, discrimination is made in
favor of woman; for in New York
and Brooklyn if any man fails to
pay the wages due a female en-
plOye up to $50 he is liable to be i'm
prisoned upon body execution and
kept in close confinement without
the privilege of bail, while none of
his property is exempt from cXecu-
ton.
DO not these facts prove that there
are "other privileges of conse-
quence," that women must give up,
if they demand and obtain equal
rights" with men! A. p. P.
Albany, n. Y.