Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-24
The MODERN WOMAN.
Legislation Desired by Women.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

ia and Pennsylvania public commissions
for the study of the provisions of
mothers pension bills are now under
| consideration.
AT great national gathering of women
| a man took note of the fact that, while
the meeting included many woman suf-
p, fragists interested in political issues. the
| subjects brought forward as indicative Of
! their immediate interest were not the
| tariff. public lands and interstate corr
! merce. but matters elating to education,
| the welfare of women and children. the
! white slave traffic and the affairs of the
/ home. especially pure food and the in
| creased cost of living
rms does not imply that women $ in
tefeStS IN legislative matters will be mar
| roWed or confined solely to the advantage
| or their own sex. There is no effort for
| improved law in any state regarding con-
servat1on. forest extension or public inn
provement of any kind which has not
peen lndorsed by the publc-spirited wom-
en- II not actually originated by them.
The great Legislative concessions for the
development of forestry in PENNSYLVANIA
are credited largely to the club women.
VINO. under the leadership of Miss Myra
Lloyd Dock, asked for the passage of
laws providing for better forest protec-
ton and for the appropriation of suff1-
cient money to secure larger state forest
amos, ana TO employ properly qualified
n.
who was the first woman appointed upon
a state forest purchasing commission.
went to Germany and made detailed
study of the methods of caring for the
celebrated Black Forests and the legal
restrictions for their protection. She then
endeavored. with the help of her cowork-
ers. to secure the legislation necessary to
put the most important features of the
German system into effect in PennSyl-
Vania.r
In Colorado the women succeeded some
time ago in passing a law requiring a
health certificate as a
Colorado Law qualification for mar
on Marriage. ing sSt for d it in a Illinois nu
in Ohio and in New Jersey with some
hope of success. In other states the asi-
tation has just begun Such a law will
have many benefits 1t will have some
influence in checking the spread of the
social evil. 1t will tend to lower the
rate of insanity as persons having heredl-
tary tendencies in this direction will not
be granted license to marry, and it
will extend it's restrictions to tubercular
and other transmissible diseases.
In nearly all of the states, excepting
those having equal rights in all things
legislation regarding their property, their
own earnings. their equality in the guar
dianship of their children, their rights to
sign commercial papers. to make legal
contracts. to engage in business without
the consent of their husbands. and any
other matter which has been found to in
terfere with their personal liberty. This
! matter of personal liberty is becoming a
veXed problem in the minds of many
women. No less an authority than Mrs.
Belva y. Lockwood has declared that
much of the legislation restricting women
in their hours of labor and providing for
their minimum wage is in a sense detri-
mental to their independence and free
dom. Mrs. Lockwood claims that a WOm-
an should be absolutely free and equal
before the law, enjoying the right to work
when she pleases, for what wages she
can secure and that. having removed from
| her the restrictions which now hinder her,
! there is reason why a woman should
| have any Legislative protection which is
not granted to men.