The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-18

In 1874 the British husband was first
denied the right to whip his wife as
he would have chastised a child. but
not till 1891 did the law forbid his
contended right to restrain her of her
liberty. This case was OF n man who
went to New Zealand, with a view to
making a home there, leaving his
wife in England When he returned
for her she refused to go with him.
He applied to the courts of probate
and divorce and gained a decree Civ
ing him possession of his wife. With
two assistants, he seized her as she
was coming from church and put her
under lock and key. She appealed the
cae and a higher court set the pre-
cedent that the husband had no hold
of force upon her and gave her free
dom.
1t was not until 1880 that the British
parliament took cognizance of woman
in lawmaking. 1t then passed meas
ures designed to protect her as a
wage-earner and as a political factor
In 1912 1t passed law that a woman
should not be employed in the mines.
Then came the various factory acts"
Among other privileges she was all
q member of a school board, a guard
ian, overseer, sexton or governor or
medical officer of a workhouse. At
London and at Durham, indeed. she
could pass for academic degrees, but
to this day oxford and Cambridge deny
them to her.
Not till 1870 was the married wo.
mans property act" passed, giving her
a,
scribed sum. In 1880 and 1882, however,
laws were passed giving the married
woman full title over her husband of
all properties of whatsoever kind. Her
| property is absolutely her own, to do
with it as she pleases.
THE OUTLOOK.
A. r. Cleveland, in his woman I'm
der the English Law" says: with
regard to the future, judging by the
| past, it is not unlikely that even fur
ther rights will be conferred on the
female sex. Provided the country re-
mains at peace, we have no doubt that
the parliament franchise must sooner
or later be extended to woman. and
when this occurs--provided few minor
disabilities which the law still places
ability of all women to fill certain
| posts be removed-women, whether
| married or single, will stand virtually
upon legal equality with man.
Whether or not this be a consum-
| nation devoutly to be wished is a
| matter of opinion, but when these
further rights are conferred this will
| not be because they are demanded by
| an importunate section of women or
by the sex collectively, but because in
the opinion of the majority of men, as
well as of women, it will be just and
| equitable to confer these rights upon
| them"
However this may be a peculiarly
British conclusion, the world in great
measure will concede its truth. II
would be hard indeed to find a law
make: to admit that a "woman's
rights" woman had forced him opolit-
ical recognition Of her Yet. fifty years
ago, when a schoolgirl had earned
chastisement for herself, it was not
uncommon for boy volunteer to walk
up and take the thrashing as her SUBJ
stitute. 1t is this spirit, more than
any other, that has been responsible for
the modern woman. Education has
! awakened her to a desire for worldly
| place and power, and as she has sought
them just to that extent have they
been given to her. Assuming these
| responsibilities, the necessity for a
physique has become apparent until
the drawing-room doll of fifty years
ago is forgotten as a type. Painting is
a lost art. Wheeling, golf and other
out-of-door exercises have taken the
| place of the lackadaisical tatting and
crocheting. Hygiene extends to the
dress of the modern woman and she
wears shoes in which it is possible for
her to walk.
The result Of it all is a new woman
in which the new century may see a
new promise for the race.