The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-03
Mr.. POLLARD HAS
INTEREs TING TIME

was kept busy answering when he
could. and side stepping when ne
could not Mr. Pollard demonstrated
that he can side step.
Mr.. Pollard's intention was TO an
sRer legal questions as to the law,
but was soon drawn into a discussion
Of every phase of she suffrage ques-
tiont one statement that he made
efnbodying his own confession Of faith,
was tn the effect that he believed vo-
men should be granted the suffrage
when q sufficient number Of them in
tfcated s, desire for the privilege. This
gave an opening which many We're not
SLOW 10 take advantage 81 one
wished TO know what he called a suffi-
cient number Another wanted To
know If right VAS not right NOT
to be brushed aside FIR tile sake Of s3-
pedfencv. Mrs. Harris. thought that
IL only one woman wanted the ballot
she should have It as right, regard
less Of what the others might want.
Some declared that sufficient mum
Der of them wanted he ballot right
now. Many Of his inquisitors showed
a thorough comprehension Of the laws
as 10 the rights Of women and sup
nliea MIR. Pollard with a few minor
points which he had not mentioned.
the speaker stating that ii had been
Impossible TO cover the entire heid.
trrc,st
nations against women had heeh
noted.
when the questioning was over Mt
pollard had completely saturated
handkerchief an too small for the re
aniremeuts of the occasion. The wo-
men present. although they had come
perilonslv near 10 heekling Mr.. Pol
lard In good humored way. gave him
AN enthusiastic vote OF thanks for
his address
The meeting was presided er by
Nyx. William f. Harris, who intro
dueed the speaker ia a brief speech.
The legal determinations .aGainst
women were thus summarized IN Mt
poilard
The laws o. Virginia afe unjust -
the esfe fin that en ttse death "f hnT
husband without viii. she receives
only one-th ird NJ the income from his
rca. estate during her lille and oUo-
third Of MS personal property, while
tha husband ON the death of the, wife
receives ali of The income from all n
nar rsa1, exstare fot afs fife ara HI nf
har ssersnnaaa gYroparty sita fees. siinpla
and to the exclusion of her children.
The injustice of this discrimination Is
more plainly seen when we contem-
plate the fact that the wife often rem
ders valuable assistance in the aeQui-
sition of her husbands fortune. while
the wife's fortune usually comes to
her by inheritance and her husband
has no part in Its acquisition.
The laws of Virginia make an un-
lust discrimination against the mother
in that on the death of q son or
daughter, without issue, the father
is the sole heir. while If. the father
be dead the mother must>sfare with
the brothers and sisters,
The laws of Virginia also unlustlN
discriminate against the mother in
that they permit the father by will
TO deprive the mother Of the custody
OF mar children should she renarrY,
In introducing his subject MIR. Rol-
lard took occasion TO rap gently the
speakers at she Wilson birthday pan
auet at stanton, declaring that the
past of Virginia had been glofihed Toe
effusiyeiN. He said also that Virginia
suffers from too much self-satisfactlon
and that he sometimes thought that
sRichmond has the disease In Pc
culiarly malignant form.
In some instances. according 10 Mr.
Pollard, the laws are partial 10 wo-
men. in fact. and in ether cases IN
the manner in which they are ad-
ministered The laws governing the
protection, of person illustrate the for
mer and those relating TO breach o7
promise the latter.
The meeting was we'll attended ana
great interest was shown hy al pres
cr1t potfT m MIR Pollard : address and
In the questions asked him at the
close.