The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-17

eNN@ IL
him TO know that In most OF the states ~
keeps a lobby AT the Legislature every VIII
ter and that II can give the suffragists points
on getting a bill through. II has taken
up. civil service reform, chhu iaDo,,
polygamy, public bath houses. preservation
Of forests, and all sorts OF changes IN tne
laws, every one Of which has landed IL AT
the doors Of the Legislature
The last meeting Of the MassachusettS
Federation was really q suffrage symposiunl
One of the directors said, at their next SEES
sion, that this most representative oooy
in Massachusetts, had put itself on RECORD
az In favor Of the school franchise, We
have always supposed the old sunrage or
ganization, with Mrs, Lvermore ana Mrs;
Howe and tho Blackwells and Garrisons and
all that ~coterie, was the most representa-
tive body In the ancient Commonweslth
but the Federation everywhere has an Idea
that lit Is IL, " and perhaps II Is.
Largely through the efforts OF the ooh,
necticut Federation a law was secured
from the last Legislature giving father and
mother joint guardianship of the minor
children, after the sun ra gists had repeatedly
tried 20 have II passed, The Massachu-
setts Federation is to make tine attempt
this winter TO obtain u similar law in that
State, which the suffrage society has been
trying TO do for years. Legislators, IKE
editors, are apt to have a fl al sight OF the
suffrage spectre, which prevents their CIV
ing the subject presented that Impartial
unbiased Judgment 80 characteristic Oh
the masculine min Put, IL just laws are
secured. what does il matter who gets the
credit? When the National Council and the
Federation of Clubs and the Daughters OF
the American Revolution and all the other
organizations progress TO the point OF de-
manding the ballot. as they inevitably
will. tho Suffrage Association, which has
been blazing the way and making he path
straight for fifty years, will be quite CON
tent To rest on its arms and let the new re-
cruits have the glory Of the victory
The Appellate Term Of the Supreme
Court OF illinois has recently decided that
the vito is Jointly indebted with the hus-
band for the pa yment of a bill for his cloth
ing. The Baltimore Ners is one OF various
papers which have made this a text for
long edit oria!s pointing OUT that tins IL the
logical result OF the agitation for broader
legal rights for married women The
Neus SAYS this decision that. so far As
family expenses are concerned a "lte II
Bable for the debts contracted by her hus-
band, is the severest blow YET struck at
woman's rights" and il quotes the Rev.
Thomas Dixon 20 the effect that the new
woman will curse the day she was born.
The decision is founded on a statute OF
Illinois, the injustice OF which seems not 70
be recognized by any of these papers. IL
the law holds the wife responsible for one
half the family expenses. then by. every
principle Of equity it should give her an
equal share In the earnings OF the marriage
~copartnership. As il now stands these
belong absolutely 20 tho husband. during
his lifetime and. beyond the actual family
expenses according to his standard, the
wife can legally claim none of them. The
husband can uuandcr them as he sees MT
and she cannot help il. Then If she has any
property Of her own, which she has Inherited
or earned by labor outside the home, II can
be seized to pay for his clothes. Accord
ing 10 the old law the wife owed service
TO her husband and family and he owed
support to her and he family. IL now the
law is changed TO require Of her both ser
vice and support, then she ought surely to
be entitled 10 one-half of the earnings.
A new trial is ordered and the result
will he awaited with interest.
Perhaps the new woman does some
times wish she never had been born. Our
grandmothers tell us this was a very gem
eral wish on the part Of the old time woman
She used also 10 turn her face 10 the wall
and weep when they told her that her
newly-born baby was a girl. Women don't
do that nowadays. And In spite OF the
Reverend Dixons and such editors AZ
that Of the Baltimore Neus' they intend
10 keep right on -agitating' until there Is
no more reason for a woman's "cursinR
the day she was born" than there In Tor a
mans doing 30.
The press dispatches scarcely have
HllrtNtu lfAhlAk " AIt why NA'
police Of Berlin broke up the progressive
women's meeting in that city. and now
they are saving that, in the campaign
against the new German tariff, the women
are being urged 20 take part. They are
assisted Ia forming organizations. in
vited to speak from the same platform
with the most eminent men, and en-
couraged In every possible way 10y the
party Leaders.
Perhaps the cause Of the great difference
in treatment lies in the fact that in the
first instance ths women were trying TO
do sonsthing 20 improve their own con
dition. aud in the second they were wanted
10 help on a measure for the politicians
IL Is said that the recent Alabama con-
ventiOn which voted down "a proposition
10 give suffrage 10 tax paying women,
put a clause IN the new Constitution pro-
Viing that every man may vote whose
wife owns forty acres Of u
THIS l. an example - fine southern
chivAlry which would not ses that wOuiAn's
property unrspIessntej al the polls
The follow ing story is voucEed for by
a member Of one of The college Settlements
Ia the very heart Of the lower hast Side
- New YOrk
IN. morning n el.otiun day two Young
boys came la and b~gan Dragging about
tho big majority shepard Nas gang 10
have. but, thoy haii. there's utlr thing
surc II th. women ouuld vut" Low would
b. elsoted
What Do you ulcau tu LAY that tho
wives - tho-e 7 tmflany iuun around here
would vote tic fusion NrNrtf
%. .Yis 81 item both boys rrplrd
Mas. Lev could salk iufu fhr Mayor
uflDo without mailing Do -f"orh
Tho x~raltiy and an-tsIaAo vHturu
vlo uNu D.4ntn trHtf ~ iaUNtoNbt
y have IIat sarurl Hu r~l~tluu o. .
loo I,aunuIi Iu Hal 80 $40 ihuy Uies
tiunrsfrd made fsssrIlos aud o~undaciut
= aiavinE I.4W ali - tAlls oaIalsiEu
Iir. uH rbr uYu dHF iirF al vHtt o. ihu
Ialla aui sttri und.f Ma" 100 lac la--,i
1t tpuus AuUuE Ihrm aas hlss
Nr.IH C.all sAD slH. tlinisiirt taiiiasrs
Co. Iaar IHfsH tH flt isIIH
Ahs~s ilniA aiaiss itisi i.a Auu nun $50
h.s.uip lh hrs lunk D. alslui a. lstu w.
aIIHHaI utfHIHE MNt IH IHIi Dol isuf
I.al aHI Geo. Go Hf bob HHfr ilH 'sHI
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800 llrItu haHftH
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