The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-15
AN EARLY CHAMPION OF wOMAN'S
RIGHTS.

In commenting a few days ago on the
proposition to erect a statue to Robert
Dale owen in Washington on account of his
services in connection with the establish
ment of the Smithsonian Institution the
Journal referred in general terms to his
services to this State as a member Of the
Legislature and Of the convention that
a matter Of history, but comparatively few
persons of the present generation are &C
quainted with the facts. Especially do the
women of Indiana owe q perpetual debt Of
gratitude to Mr.. Owen for his successful
advocacy OF their legal rights, long be-
began and when most men in public life
secuted the idea Of removing any Of their
common-law disabilities. On this, as on
many other subjects. Mr.. Owen was an
advanced thinker.
AS a member of the Legislature in 1886 Mr..
Owen introduced a bill to change the then
existing law of descent so as to give the
widow of an intestate dying without children
one-third Of her husbands real estate abso-
lutely, instead of, as the law then pro-
vided. merely a dover interest or life estate.
Most lawyers of that day were opposed to
what they regarded as a radical innovation
on immemorial custom and law. Mr.. Owen
continued to advocate the change during the
four years he served in the Legislature, but
was not then successful.
The nnrCf+sD-o1 -lszI
Mr.. Owen was a member convened in 1850.
A few days after it was organized he offered
the following resolution:
Resolved. That the committee on rights
and privileges of inhabitants of the State
inquire into the .expediency of incorporat-
Ing in the bill of rights the following Sec
ton: Women hereafter married In this
State shall have the right to acquire and
possess property to their sole use and dis
posal; and laws shall be passed securing
to them, under equitable conditions all
property. real and personal, whether owned
by them before marriage or acquired after
ward by purchase, gift, devise or descent;
and also providing for the registration OF
the wife's separate property.
The proposition was too advanced for the
period and it did not succeed, but 1t has
since. Mr.. owen made several speeches in
favor of it. in one Of which he said:
1 appeal to the successful settler, who
has raised his cabin first in the wild
woods, has gradually opened a fourishing
farm and at last has seen flow in upon
him comfort and plenty, whether he, alone
and unaided, built up his fortune and made
there was not one who saved while he ac-
cumulated; whether, when his arm was
busy without her hand was idle within? ]
ask him whether his heart does not revolt
lf the idea that Whan hQ Ia narriod 20 hto
long home his widow shall see snatched
from her by an inhuman law the very prop
erty her watchful care had mainly contrib
uted to increase and keep together.
Although Mr.. OWENS proposition in favor
Of women's rights failed in the convention
he was afterwards elected to the frs,
Legislature under the new Constitution
and was the author of a bill that secured to
widows and married women Independent
rights of property. On the enactment OF
this measure the women of ndian pre-.
sented him with a testimonial Sin acknowl
edgment Of his true and noble advocacy
of their Independent rights"
AT present the laws Of Indiana regardine
the rights of married women and widow.
are as liberal as those of any State in tn,
Union, and they are the natural outcome
of the agitation begun by Mr.. Owen nearl,
seventy years ago. He was the pioneer Of
the cause in this State and almost in tn.
United States. He might nave said, a.
Thomas H. Benton did of an important piec,
Of national legislation: Solitary ant
alone I set this ball in motion" He rem
dered other distinguished and valuable serv
ices to the State, but it was only intended
in this article to recall those in connection
with the legal rights of married women
Through his efforts Indiana was the frs
State to em~ancipate women from the lega
bondage established by centuries of Eng
lish law. and after the legislation for which
he labored was accomplished a correspond
ent OF the London Times said: 'Indians
has attained the highest civilization Of an,
State in the Union"
PROGRESS In BALLOONING.