The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-14
Whv Shouldn't Women Vote? Asks Mrs. Whitehouse

children, TO release men from liability
for their wives debts and in case of di-
vorce to free the husband from the re-
sponsibility OF either alimony or counsel
fees This bill, however. was referred to
committee and is not likely TO be heard
from again
The provisions of maintenance do wer
and alimony" will be found when they are
looked into to have their basis not in
the political helplessness OF women but
in the most fundamental facts OF nature
itself; facts which will remain unchanged
when woman suffrage comes and which
will continue as before to justify the
privileges given TO women by law.
married man must provide Iaainte-
nance for his wife; he is liable for neces-
5aries purchased by her. This law has
com" about Us a due recognition OF the
disabilities which marriage itself places
upon women Men when they marry are
Iefl free to go into Me world and work
and earn money. Women, ON the other
hand, usually give up their chances of an
independent career. and If they dutifully
fulfil their domestic obligations they
must give their time and their strength
not to earning money hut to bearing and
occupy az least the first decades OF their
married lie. Since these duties earn no
casi returns il seems indisputaby just
that mem shogld be rer lonsibe for the
support OF their households.
4 woman = dover right prevents hus-
band from selling or devising his real
estate without his wife's consent This
law is based upon the same conditions
of nature which have given rise to the
law of maintenance. 1t Is safe 10 con-
lecture that the only real estate of an
average couple is taeir home Although
the man may have been the one to pay
for it. the woman hes earned IA full share
i'll it not only by bearing and rearing the
childrea that come 70 them but also by
directing or more generally doing herself
the work necessary to make lie COM
Portable for all The home is truly the
common property of the couple. IL the
man could, without the consent of his
wife. sell the house and turn her out OF
it, even without warming. il would be q
palpabe injustice and one that would
interfere with the performance of the
woman duties.
The courts give women alimony in
divorce cases in which they are blameless
This is clearly a recognition Of the fact
that woman If she has lived up to her
share Of the marriage contract has been
unable to acquire or lay aside through
her own efforts money for herself and that
it would be unjust if she. through the
fault Of the man. should be turned penni-
less into the world unfit or at least I'M
trained to earn her living. She should
not be deprived of the support which the
man has undertaken to provide for her
Chivalry. it has been complained. will
disappear when women vote. But why
should it? Even though women will be
no longer legally and politically at the
mercy of men they will remain physically
the weaker sex. They will continue to
suffer from the same natural disad-
vantages. There will always be many OPP
portunities for a noble and generous
chivalry on the part of men.
Az to Mrs. Waterman's suggestion that
women now enjoy an exemption from
hanging. by which must be meant capital
punishment. it will be-. seen that there is
no such legal exemption. Sixteen years
ago Mrs. Place was executed in New York
State, although every influence was
brought to bear on Gov Roosevelt to
pardon her. Mrs. Ferola has recently
December 20. 19l3-been convicted Of
murder in the first degree and sentenced
to be put to death at Sing Sing during the
week Of July 9. 1t is. however. seldom
that women are executed. This may ,
due not only to their Acknowledgement
but to the fact that they are moved more
slowly than men to acts of violence
They form only is per cent. of the Grim,
inal classes, and when they do commit
such II deed it may be under circum-
stances 80 exasperating that clemency
seems justified.
There appears no ground for Mrs
Waterman's fears that the rights and
privileges which women now enjoy under
the common law. so harsh in general to
women. will have to be abandoned "in
order to depend on the chances of cleo
tons" All these privileges are based on
facts Of natuSP. When women vote none