The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-21
TIE CAUSE OF WOMAN.
THE QUESTION OF THE LEGAL sTATUs
OF WOMEN IN OUR NEW POSSESSIONS.


Hardships which Hnvo Followed the Intro
duction of English Laws Into india
Proposition That Women should BE APP
pointed on the Various Colonial Commits
sions-A Reply to Mrs. CrannoiIs Answer.
At tho recent reunion OF Confederate vete-
rams. in Charleston. r.. c.. the resolution de-
clining President McKinley's suggestion that
the Government should care for the graves OF
the Confederate soldiers closed with the deela-
ration that the care OF these final resting
places Is a sacred trust repossd In this, women
Of tbs South and the duty can be safely left
with them" There is no danger that ever they
wilrforget or neglect this duty. any more than
will the women Of the North who. for more
than thirty years. with loving fa;thfulness and
tender sorrow. have covered with flowers the
graves OF the Northern heroes. This has been
the only part allowed to women-to minister to
the sick and the dying soldiers. to care for the
graves OF the dead-never u voice as to the de-
claring of the wars which cause the suffering.
the death. the graves. In a recent address
Mrs. Lille Devereux Blake said on this
subject:
more forsibly than any recent events The injustice
IN deciding sfi"dairg @ne aHRyn.T for or the Gs pubic i@e s6d HTop We have
seen the repnblic plunged ,ntoS war In which women
the rule of all nations that no contest Of arms should
be entered into without the consent Of the women.
son. Tacisus said Of the ancisnt' dernsns: I'm all
indians never Sentto war without the consent Of
the sGusws; Bitter as !, Vas ,he suffering ,n OF the
Of the wives whose husband, were torn from their
has come a deeper r]eslization OF the importance Of
tSs 9asties or t thsir = e ISirln@''0" on the part OF men OF
which gives foundation for i. The women OF
IarntinD NJ the Wal with SnaiD than thny had
r ali Tie vars ShiicSS P=Tseedsd i: S9t 22nly Sss$d
t the w n9 y 6nt thew in f hss G Dons in fh wn Hsrio dssl fesi
%islstnrs EST that n nH wS,s Tp9 ibs Congress- nG5nnnt th9s; % enc bs
lss ssn afmsn' Of ~thh,s sPFr e eons ane1SR'e PERHAPS rR ps
It was. Women were no part Of that c%onstitu-
sasy not end i ths'5 Sp' RsIsSt 1 aRs'sn,s2S9 In ESH,h ssyc
* tad sent sh j. / d e sHSs thS, rs ss ssrsF ss 3!
was declared; you'd 1t have haa TIE sliifhtesss
Ne SIe''TThH e part 1fe Of dT w6mes IS 81 to On" accept c npts The et dscis.
5es sa's tssn i If ' l}ssi, ? !td ard to Their heir c sSn'' t fSs
burdens which they leave. to raise money and
and Wounded. to weep over the graves Of the
dead. to carry an aching heart forever. and to
questions OF war or peace. because they can.
not serve their country In her hour OF need.
The thoughtful, and patriotic citizen cannot
avoid a feeling Of dismay when he considers
the complications aud possible dangers Of ad-
hitting into our body polite the vast numbers
OF people in our new possessions. In accord
ance with the spirit Of our institutions they
must be allowed some form OF franchise and
some personal share in government. When.
In addition to extending these privileges to the
mon. Il is proposed also to include the women.
the average individual stands aghast. When
approached on the subject some time ago Sena.
tor Teller said: " ! alTays have advocated
sion is already so strong il would he utterly
useless to talk about extending the privileges
this Miss Anthony says:
We ore told it will be OF no use for us to ask that tho
upon the same terms as to the men, because we shall
not get It,. 1t is not our business whether we are 60.
iRH for these Sftr years we 70 had asked cniT FOR
Hs.t We Ak .sG foF the we sS SSpsf io sft and Th tnfe s nhst So we ea Sn
get.
But the granting Of the suffrage is only one
upon these women in the same degree az upon
the men. We are to frame a new code Of laws
be the greatest q crimes to make them bear
uneaually upon these women "a far greater and
y laws. Witch are Unjust to woman. eeeaus:
q the hali.sayags charactsr q the men OF
point:
tens the rigid principles Of the English common
law. which prevail largely in our jurisprndence will
over wife, Of father over offspring. The only saliva,
i i.aal ' TSc sSS n TH%e Of q chem shF PERSONAL %sS RGEi industrial. les so Il I
and political equality. II. as seems too probable
:trassIGn. r ~am.n are will iiim .nEsr !f ai1 ed. ii sl. sfG F 'ss oi
t the Ia law . wi1sSnt the n nTSfHti' .n, n a s1nS 1 M%mnn
even more than those Of our own states will need
the ballot as a means of self-protection.
The ~c1earest and strongest Of argument or
I Res. 4 Hnsa Ga phT ' Spence m q one R RRe6sr I 81 f@f
s Fsan Se'3 Hsso ia Ta'e' She shows shows that IN mos,
savage tribes the women have many valuable
mother, the property often belongs to the
wife: although personally in complete subiu.
which English or american law would t.k,c
iH owiyr fF 0eon hr5; M Re s ststs%e1 makes the fol
II we lay violent hands upon the backward peo
pies and CIV. them only our law and I% :, ]po on.sSS,
III %h ss , ps"fs sc G GT s:'! IN s. .sy.la, for their sss ,SSs sGGe' |.
s ,s:'iss ssd &c, i:;oS %SnaH # 1"' liz t yRsa n n f 81 At {
tH,SH'i ,Ss worst w: then sq t and w there ms snys r the In
NV to his vie: and faiiea, utterly, as i
fsa ,s. a II '"s White N , @s Ss;" rs "a %St to + Il. s' wife, MN %h 'T
in India, as Mrs. Garrett ,Fawcctt has 50 Gnol!
l'.h law Of %a n r age to ~ si Rin% an p IN VIZ dt e /,
Anp n" SAXON w Tf t' Sm, 'N we h do not 'e eiv s'H ths H ii ,@'
tsat spirit of AIsiI;saxon marriage and hcms ~
and never an rnmiIed evil.
Applying thes,. facts she says:
4 today in the Hawaiian Island. or ~ Cuba "
something Of the primitive prestige Of womanhoOd
fail 10 recognize them as entftlcd TO a translation
under new laws and conditions ~ tho old dignity q
position, VIC shall not only DO them an iniusticc. bu
we shall forcibly give the Hawaiian and Cuban mo
lessons in the wrCuE side and not the rcht side o
our domestic relations; Above all, i in tn" PhilI
pines we abruptly, and with force Of arms. egtablisl
the authority q the husband over the wife, by recoG
nizing men Only a. rrop"rtv owners. IA sign"rs o
treaties, as industrial rulers, and as domestic Law
Hiyers, We shall introduce every outrage and in
Justice Of womeu's Huhiection to mHn. without civ
ing these people one iota of the sense Of family RI
sponsibility. Of protection nf. and respect for. VI
man. and Of deep apd srlf-sa"rihcing devotion I
Childhood's needs. which mark the AnClo.ShHo
man. In = word, If We introduce one particle Of on
hslAted and illogical political and legal subjertio
Of women to men into any savage or half-Civilizs
community. We shall spoil the domestic virtues tbs
community already possesseS, and We shall not h,
cause we cannot 80 abruptly and violently inoct
late them with the virtues Of civilized domestic III,
The strongest possible plea is made by tn
leading women Of the nation that, when peac