New-York tribune., 1905-02-19
"HER CROWN is TINsEL."

TO the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: Senator Raines is about to aid a worthy
cause by introducing bill in the legislature give
women in cities the right vote at certain
elections, but why in the of all that is worthy
should he wish to limit this right to only those
women whose names shall appear the assess
ment rolls and have taxable property?
None need the vote so much as our working
women to protect their rights and yet many of
these, and the most worthy of our aid. too.
generally enrolled upon the list of our taxpayers
Every effort to admit women to participate. in the
functions of government is welcome. as it affords
direct evidence of step in advance in ideas of
civilization.
One-half of the adult people OF this State are
women, and this half is taxed and yet has no rep
resentation being governed without their consent.
thus violating of the fundamental principles of
the Constitution Then. although the State claims
to guarantee equal privileges to every member of
the community, the women, whom the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution declares 10 be
citizens. because born naturalized in the United
States" arc Disseminated against by the various
departments of the government itself. in that
smaller salaries paid them. whether clerks
or school teachers, than to men performing similar
services Equal pay for equal work should be
the rule, and especially so when uphoding
the of that portion of people least able
protect themselves, of that which comprises the
mothers of the State
Why should a republic be such a masculine
monopoly? Here. in sixteen States the wife has no
right to her earnings and the husband
collect the same for his In eight States
she has no right to her property, and IN
eral States the wife's inherited property becomes
absolutely her husbands at marriage. unless placed
in the hands of trustees. and at his death she is
entitled to only fraction thereof dover In
thirty-six States the wife has right to her
children In one State the husband may perpetrate
any wrong, outrage or infamy against wife, but
under circumstances or conditions can she di-
vorce him.
Russia with all her faults. treats women in her
laws better than does this Republic. She the
first government grant TO large numbers of
women any political recognition. and the first to
give property rights to wives, and there are
other women so free socially. No wonder many
aristocracy of England and the Continent for do
they share their titles with their wives? Ameri
can titles belong only to men. When European
sovereign is crowned a queen is crowned by his
side but no woman IS associated with the in
auguraton of a President with any official cere-
mony.
ii Hung Chang said when here: "All had heard
about the dueenShip OF the American in
qury proved to be the nerest pretence and hum
bug Her crown is tinsel her throne is nil. There
is no government which is necessarily antagOnis
tic TO all women republic one in which the
entire female may logically hope for so little.
rs TO this last point, for the women of America
have reason TO hope. because the interest sym
pa thies and conscience not only OF women but OF
men of prominence being enlisted in this great
question and an intelligence hitherto latent Is be-
'i's JOSIAH c. PUMPELLY.
Morningslde Heights, Feb y. 1905.