The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-20

pronounced opposition by the ultra con-
sentative element. it was only the beginning
of an agitation which had for its result
those more liberal laws now in force In
1850 he was sent to the State constitu-
tional convention, and was made chairman
of two important committees namely, that
on THE Rights and Privileges of the In
habitants of the State" and on Revision.
Arrangement and PhraseolOgy." The fol-
lowing resolution was Immediately put be-
fore the body by him through the former
committee:
Resolved, That the committee on rights
and privileges of the inhabitants of the
porating in the bill of rights the following
section: 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 prop
erty, real or personal. whether owned by
them before marriage or acquired by them
afterward by purchase, gift devise de-
scent; and also providing for the registra-
ton of the wife's separate property.
Though this was defeated at that time.
Later these provisions were incornorated
into. the present statutes governing these
matters.
Robert Dale Owen was sent to Congress
in 1871 and again in 1S45, and it was he
who was responsible for the measure to
create the Smithsonian Institution, of which
he was one of the governors for a period of
years.
At the time Mr.. Owen so strongly adj
vocated a change in the laws controlling
property rights for women Mrs. Sarah II.
Bolton, the well-known, poet, was a writer
for the papers and ably assisted Mr.. Owen
i'm his fight for the betterment of the social
status of her sex, and, though he was
not successful in getting the resolution
above quoted through the constitutional
convention. Mrs. Bolton was at the head of
a movement on the part of the women of
this State to present to Mr.. Owen some
testimonial of their appreciation of his
battle in their behalf. this resulting in
the collection of 800 with which was pur-
chased a silver pitcher of antique design.
If as Mrs. Conkln fittingly says, 500
could be got together by "A comparatively
few women fifty years ago, what could
not be done to-day. The memorial TO be
placed in the Statehouse would be in the
form of a bust of Robert Dale Owen. and
the sponsors of the movement have no
doubt but that the required amount will
be gladly contributed by the women of
Indiana. III is well to emphasize the fact
however, that while this would primarily
be a memorial TO a great man, ii should
also be q work of art in itself. The in
appropriate and truly hideous monuments
to many of the great Of the land which are
San Francisco TO Boston are one of the
lamentable indications of the lack of the
proper management in the awarding of
such commissions in America and cause the
Nation to be made a mock of by the elect
Therefore, the aesthetic consideration of
this movement should be a dominant one
so that the resultant may be not only a
monument to great man, but a work of
art which in and of itself will be a gracious
| thing to the eye and an addition to the
| decorative scheme of the State Capitol