Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-06-18
DOING JUSTICE TO THE WIFE

At the last session of the State Grange among other
things resolution was offered favorng the repeal Of
the law passed by the last legislature giving the surviving
spouse the choice between having onethrd Of the COM
munty property his her individual property in fee
simple or having life estate in one half of the same.
This law places the wife exact equality with the
husband as to her rights in the community property and
to the average looks though was absolutely fair
Before that law passed the wife had her right OF
DOVER" which she had right to one-thrd OF the
property for life 1t will be seen the new law all IN
favor of the far as the change is concerned
The reason of the passing of the law, of them
because of the varied character OF real property With
an improved farm the life estate in one-third would per-
hapsake reasonably good of the surviving wife, but
suppose the real property consisted for instance OF timber
lands held for speculation? The wife was left helpless
for they brought income and she could not sell them
or dispose of her dover right for any valuable consider
alton Under the law passed by the legislature last
year. she could elect to take Onethird OF this timber land
in fee simple and dispose of it she could get some
tangible returns in money Yet while the change was all
in favor Of the wife the resolution condemning the law
was introduced by woman The objection was based on
the ground that the law tended to hamper and delay the
settlement of estates There is nothing at all to that
objection easy to settle esate under the pro-
visions of that law any other In fact its tendency is
just the other way The wife choosing to take the third
in fee simple left the balance of the estate unncumbered
and promoted the speedy settlement of it.
Modern laws have all trended toward the betterment
of the married and the protection of her rights
The law in question the most advanced OF all laws OF the
kind for it places the wife exactly the terms as
the husband 1t is right too. On farm the wife does
her full part she takes Of the house. does the cooking
and Washing bears and the children helps in the
milking and care of the stock and Chickens and in fact
works generally longer hours than does the husband
She is entitled in case of his death to the full half of all
the community property The law is good one and the
comes to reporting acting on the resolution.
comes oreporting or acting on the resolution
To go back into the history OF the property rights OF
women for that matter OF any other rights married
had in the years gone by reveals some ugly things
from the standpoint OF public opinion on the matter now
Not many years ago, only few hundred the husband
bought his wife, traded or horse for her, and she
was his chatte Still further back he did love making
with club Only a couple Of hundred years ago the
English laws which in advance Of those of most
countries with profound tenderness of feeling for
women provided that the husband in beating his wife
should not use stick above certain size and weight
That was going some" and showed that deep down in
his heart the Engishman realized mans wife had some
rights the law would protect her in From those condi
tons to those of the present days the rights of women
and of wives have been and more recognized and
now the law admits that the wife is longer chatte
but citizen In states, and praise God here in
Oregon for one, she is given every right has even
to the ballot AT the time her condition is placed
nearly an equality with the mans by the pass
ing Of the prohibition laws which takes from man his long
cherished and enjoyed special privilege of getting
soused while decency prevented his wife from ndug
ing in that kind of luxury.
Sacred history tells us God made woman as an help
meet for man. but in his savage state made her a.
chattel servant adjunct but not part of the firm
whom God had joined together BY slow degrees these