The Alaska citizen., 1911-08-21

across the breakfast table and said
to her husband excitedly:
Have you made your Wilt"
She had never thought of her legal
rights until someone let fall the bit
of information that if her husband
should die suddenly she would get
only one-third of his real and one
half of his personal property. the
rest going to his family. This wo
man realized keenly that she did
not know what her rights were.
On Investigate, n she found, first,
, that it is not eXpedient to be
woman At all: and. second. that if
one must be a woman, then the fav-
ored condition is spinsterhood A
spinster may spend what she earns
without accounting TO anyone: she
may will her property as she choos-
es; she may engage in business; she
may collect her income from her
estate and spend il; she may buy or
sell nj her own good pleasure; she
may enter into contracts; she can
be sued. make and accept promis-
sorry notes. and live her life within
the limits of decency. to suit her
self.
VI 'he Id vs. Cover ,ii's "o"i'h 'ne
ins''"l l'eSe "o'us' p'onoun,e
says:
9he II III .He eyes Il the Id"
cndhSeu oc'i'S' anu almost III
variably she has changed for the
worst Some ur all Of these powers
Of her spinsterhood are promptly
| '"heh from 'ei' ooii'e''n''S sile oe'e
eS u ne competent To '"Ne 'a'e vi
Het own estate
IN the STATE CT MISSISSIPPI 'he en-
IRE control OF her estate Is at once
assumed D! her husband All annual
acconht oil ms MANAGEMENT VIII pe
gwen 10 her yearly ] Sie ueiiiaiios
H. hu' sue mas no voice Ill 1t WHAT
ever.
In Nevada she may Keep cohtrol
II she mas all her belongings IN
Vehtofled ana llst hied Win 'he
county recorder. Every chahge IN
the list must be fecordea' every ne"
purchase must De AIDED o'her"lse
all her possessions become com
munity property ana are aDsoiutei!
under the cohtrol OF her huspaho'
In iehhessee ana Texas "hlie
nohihailE her estate reiilaliiS nels'
she can do nothing to II without
fcr husband consent
In Alabama. FLORIDA, louisiana Mlh-
1esota, New Jersey ana pennsylvania
she cannot sell her estate hor mort
gage 1t without consent OF her nus
band.
In Inulln1 ana New MEXICO npltIleT
wife nor husband can sell separate
estate without consent OF the other.
In the majority OF the remaining
states the wife Is permitted TO con
troll her separate estate with the
same freedom that she exercises
during her spihSterhooa. mat Is her
lirst, and despite lhese eAcep'lohs'
her mDst general privilege.
Her second Is the control OF her
own earnings. 1t seems almost IN
credible that any state shonia not
recognize the right OF woman 10
receive ana TO spehd mat Whlch she
has earned; yet Arizona hehtucky'
Michigan. MISSISSIPPI ohlo' lehhes-
see. Texas ana Louisiana nave ue
cided that the Wifes earnings should
be confronted by auu spent ny lei
husband. In TINS connection 1t is III
terestinS to note mat tennessee
makes no provision Tor a husband 10
support his VIE ana famliy, ana tlal
while III KENTUCKY ana ONO nus
bands are expected 10 support thell
families, there is no law 10 pun
ish them il they DO not
According to law II IS an eAcei-
lent business investment 10 become
a husband i'll Louisiana. For the youth
in Louisiana who murmurs 10
blushing maiden: Nlll you De my
Wife," is in reality also saying
Twill You give over to me all
your real and personal property
mort gage to me your ability 10 earn
money for all years to come grant
me absolute power over the hVes
of your children so mat even AFTER
my death | may exercise authority
over them Icy means OF a guardian
whom ! shall appoint?
Even the wedding presents ana 'he
wife's clothes belong TO the husband
unless in the marriage contract there
is stipulation to the contrary.
woman in Louisiana VINO wishes
to mortgage her property must nrsl
get the consent OF her husband 10
appear in court, then satisfy the
judge that she is benefting her es-
tate, and then II everybody eoh'ein
n ic hauny she NAV secure her own