New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-06
WIDOWS DOVER RIGHT.
Changed for Advantage of Both
Men and Women

i: absolute rights IN the estates of their hus-
bands are given 10 widows the Old ladies' homes
viii be more overcrowded than they are to-day
said Mrs. Cora v. Trov al the regular meeting Of
the Legislative League yesterday afternoon
Only yesterday" she continued, I read let
ter II one OF the papers from q widow who q few
years ago had handsome property. but who
had nothing left but her dover. She had lost
everything the law allowed her 20 dispose Of in
unfortunate investments. and wanted 70 know what
could be done about il
The first vtce-president seems TO think OBJ
served the chairman, Mrs. Lille Devereux Blake,
that al men are fitted for the mana cement Of
property. but the papers are full OF stories about
men who have wrecked their fortunes and IL would
D. hard 70 ind woman who had lost all her
money OF the recent election as many men have
Il think said Mrs. Margaret Holmes Bates,
that We had better organize a clipping bureau
and 90 a little missionary work for the benefit OF
our first vice-president Il would be the business
CT such a bureau 70 clip and send 10 her all &C
counts Of men who have failed in business or fin
lshed career in Wall Street by blowing their
brains who are being supported by their
wives. Half dozen years ago there were about
fly thousand men in New-York whose wives sup
ported them. don't know whether the tribe has
increased or decreased since then"
The first vice-president stuck 70 her guns
i don't refer 10 business women or TO women
such as the members o. this league" she said I
thinking of the midde-aged and often aged
woman who has been carefully shielded all her
Instead Of dover right such a woman would be
very sure 70 De penniless in five years
The paper q the day on the dover right
OF women. and was read BY Miss Euelfe VI. Bull
iowa. attorney and counsellor at law. Miss Bull
Iowa advocated the abolition OF the dover right.
enc the substitution therefor OF an absolute pro-
VISION Tor Ile WIDOW on exact terms OF equality
with men As the law Of intestate Inheritance
STANDS 2 widow has equal rights with widOwer in
the matter OF personal property. with the excep
ton THAI when married dies without
children her husband may take all her personal
property. while widow under the crcun-
stances only takes half n the matter Of real
q n
third whether there children not. Miss
BullOwa proposed that the same provision should
be- made Tor the Inheritance OF real property
now exists for personal with the abolition Of the
exception. thus placing both sexes in position OF
absolute equality. She added that the matter was
one Of VA interest owing TO the Inconvenience
OF the dover right constant efforts being made
70 get nd OF Il. II the case of the EIsberg bill
last year without any provision 20 take its place
The Elsberg bill she said killed II commit
tee through the efforts Of the Legislative League
because the league dsapprOved of the abolition
OF the dover right but because the bill provided
nothing in lis place.
The feeling Of the meeting. with the eNcep-
ton which has been mentioned was strongly in
favor OF Miss Bullowa's proposal, and Miss Har-
rlecre keyser said that knowing the sweet COM
pIarce Of those gentlemen she had doubt they
had only 20 suggest thu thing 10 the legislature TO
get il.
Mrs. George Willard. formerly % Michigan men
toned that on the death or her husband she had
been obliged 20 buy her own home, which she
would otherwise have been obliged 10 vacate in q
year. Miss BulOwa informed her that in New
York she would only have been allowed 10 remain
forty days IL the house.