The San Francisco call., 1906-09-09
CAPTIN
E, y. NAETIN:
By Ida L. Brooks.

INTER a gentleman with an orig
Sinai idea for the protection of
woman's rights in the welded
state. Enter also lady defenders
u woman's rights in general. disput-
lng the feasibility Of said original idea
Whether or not il is advisable TO
suggest 10 a club of woman suffragists
p plan for the protection Of woman's
interests iu the married state, entire
IS aside from the suffrage plan. Cap
tain z. j. Martin OF Berkeley is per
haps just at present better prepared
TO state than one Of less recent ex-
perience
a week or two ago the Political
Equality Society Of Berkeley woman
suffrage organization-held its initial
meeting Of rehabilitation. as it were.
this being the day Of rehabilitations
And as a special inducement for a
large gathering Mrs William Keith,
president of the society, invited Cap
tain Martin 10 speak to the ladies on
the subject OF the pre-nuptial contract
this being the latest and most popular
idea Of the good captains fathering
The courtly old Southern gentleman
was taken all unawares and accepted
with trepidation. Publicity had come
upon his plan and upon himself before
either was ready for ii. One evening
he had idly talked of the contract with
his colleagues OF the North Berkeley
Improvement Club and subsequently,
he has found himself overwhelmed with
communications appertaining to the
matter. both verbal and written. In
fact, he has not been permitted fully
10 shape his contract idea TO his own
satisfaction having as yet made only
a rough draft OF II.
And here it is
Moved by love and affection and
being about 10 enter upon the holy
state Of matrimony. we. the under
signed do hereby agree TO enter upon
q complete and perfect co-partnership
arrangement whereby all surplus in
eome from community property. above
and beyond the necessary. natural OK
penditures of each OF US. shall be in
vested in the best interests Of both and
held s. each in equal shares.
captain Martins address was one Of
explanation and defense. He said:
Although California is far in ad-
vance OF other states in recognizing
woman's rights. there is no provision
in the law whereby married woman
may prove her right TO one-half. or
in fact to any part whatever, Of the
property acquired by the pair during
marriage-that is. what is commonly
termed community property. That this
is an injustice / firmly assert, and be-
cause in the majority Of cases. be-
Iieve I speak advisedIy-man not being
compelled to judge of the matter fair
Iy. ne will not make a fair disposition
of his earnings. / am Of the opinion
that q legal contract or such a nature
Is ] suggest would be a means of Sc
curing Is ole wife her due in this par
ticuisr
IN farm life especially the wife is
too often a drudge. Her work is con-
nning and laborious all the year
through. much more so than the city
housewife's could possibly be, other
considerations being equal The hus-
band works hard. perhaps, during the
spring and summer. and has little or
nothing to do during several months
OF the year His luxuries consist OF
a long rest and a long smoke, II
nothing else. With the wife rests al
ways the responsibility Of making
scant purse meet the demands upon
it. and for her there are no luxuries,
not even rest
should not the married state be in
reality a partnership in all the ln-
terests or Iiteg And, il so. certainly
II the matter OF finances A girl -