The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1898-11-23

The Queen Of Woman's Rights Agitators,
body who has not given attention to
The subject adequately realizes what
great progress women have made dur
lrg the latter half of this century.
Within very few years they will have
completed their emancipation. Fifty
years ago they possessed no civil or po-
Itical rights. There was the same
law for free white women as for negro
saves, the husband taking the place OF
the master
The slave mother had no right OF
guardianship over her child, neither
rad the white mother. The latter had
no right when married to inherit. pos
tess or dispossess property. When she
married everything belonging to her
became the property of her husband,
and likewise whatever she might sub
tequentIy inherit. She could not sue
or be sued. Her husband even owned
the wages which she earned All this
mas been changed. AT present in near
~ al the states married woman holds
tnd controls all of the property which
tne had on entering wedlock, or TO
"H'eh she may have fallen heir after
ward She is entitled by law to the
money which she earns by working for
anybody except her husband.
Every development must have a be.
ginning, and after reforms have been
'oue accomplished it is difficult to as
certain their genesis. In this mat
yer OF the gradual growth of political
power on the part of women in this
country, II is easy at this date to re-
s .V'd The fact that the beginning of it
"' was an effort on the part of women
" secure control over the schools. Al
rVsehl 20 states of the union allow
"ein 10 vote for officers of schools. In
AIRY every state women are elected
Stnooi trustees, mem bers of school
nus ana county superintendent OF
LOUIS Al one election nine wome n
'e elected as members of the school
oo"'u OF Boston. 10000 of their sex vot-
s' 10 Illinois women vote for trustees
I'm. ,he state university, this privilege
''ng been accorded them five years
81 fully one-half of the counties in
- nave women superintendent
schools. North Dakota has had a
oman plnan Tor state superintendent OF
IN Kansas, which in 1860 was the first
sn 'e 10 grant school suffrage to WON.
nr;,n ,ne latter enjoy many additional
"ineges. They vote equally with men
ta ali The cities, casting their ballots
.or mayor, aldermen, Judges and other
municipal officers.
l., rs particularly important because
=; 'ha' state there are no less than rs;
ofporated cities, whereas in the
s 10y OF New York there are only %
a asen cities. This peculiar condition OF
snr uirs is due to the liquor dealers
nh years ago there was law in force
Ga ooiiged every liquor dealer out
H.. VI the cities to get his petition for
40 signed by more than one-hali
'"e residents Of his ward or town.
u'p, irrespective of the sex. With re.
ol; "r Naoie unanimity the women de.
t;ca. 10 sign and the result was prac.
Al prohibition in all small towns
.soeoro'ngiy the liquor dealers go,
nassa au me difficulty by securing the
i Ion,e OF law which permits any set.
,e"ens OF over ESQ inhabitants to be
'porated as city.
ms. n's deprived the women of their
ITO. toi over the sale of liquor in the
prorn Out the arrangement has since
4, 10y, very advantageous to them
- present in Kansas thew are ON mn
's equality with men, excepting