xt70rx937t9n_423 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/mets.xml https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4.dao.xml unknown 13.63 Cubic Feet 34 boxes, 2 folders, 3 items In safe - drawer 3 archival material 46m4 English University of Kentucky The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Laura Clay papers Temperance. Women -- Political activity -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- Kentucky. Women's rights -- United States -- History. Women -- Suffrage -- Kentucky. Women -- Suffrage -- United States. The Delineator text The Delineator 2020 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt70rx937t9n/data/46m4/Box_30/Folder_10/Multipage18727.pdf 1911 1911 1911 section false xt70rx937t9n_423 xt70rx937t9n THE DELINEA’TOR FOR SEPTEMBER 1911 PAGE 157

 

 

 

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AVE you ever had oc—

 

casion to master the
terms of a will, or a
contract, or an insur-
ance policy?
You found it rath-
er difficult?

It is difiicult.

You need not distress yourself
because you find it so. You need
not class yourself among the i11—
competent. Most people find it
difficult—men as well as women

Law and legal forms are oiten
more complex and involved than
they should be.

Frequently judges of the Su—
preme Court are unable to agree
in interpreting laws.

Because the lawmakers have
done their work poorly.

Or, as now and then happens,
because the subject is 11er and big,
without precedents, and literally
beyond the comprehension of law—
makers and judges.

Several months ago, some of you
may remember, I told you how we
proposed to celebrate Tim DRUN-
EATOR’S Fortieth Anniversary by
helping to change the laws regard—
ing dependent children in some of
the States, where the laws are be—
hind the times.

A few days after the publishing
of that Conversazione, I had. a. let-
ter from one of our 'Iexas friends,
which read as follows:

San Antonio, Texas,

 

 

 

 

October 1.9, 1911).
l\Ir. Erman J. Ridgway,

our laws, and how far worse; to
what extent the laws regard w 0111-
an as an especially protected n1—
ferior, not to say incompetent—
all of this, and more, we are as yet
unable to say.

But we plan to take up the whole
question, to explain all the laws in
plain, common-sense terms, and to
suggest their weak points.

If the present laws even fairly
expressed the present sentiments
of men for women, there would
be little to quarrel with in them.

But 1f 11 be Z1116 1/1111 {/16 [1111's (116’
cc111‘1111cs bra/111ml 111056 56111111161115
they 51111111111 be [1101131111 1119 10 (11116.

Would you care to help do it, if
we showed you how?

Or don’t you care?

Could you take the time to
write me just a line, telling me
what you think of the plan? And
what you know of the subject?

Persuading legislators to change
long—established laws is no light
undertaking. Neither should it be.

We have arranged with William
Hard to conduct the campaign for
THE DELINEVTOR.

Mr. Hard has the ability and
the sympathy He writes inter—
LItInOlV humaan and simpr'.

He will make the laws as cl car
as common sense. He VVi 1 write
the truth only, but it will be truth
about a subject Vital to all women,
and it will be presented by a master
of the writing craft.

William Hard is a trained in-
vestigator. He knows 110w to get
to the bottom of a subject, and,

 

 

 

Care THE DELINEATOR,
New York City.
DEAR SIR: I

In your “Conversazione” for November
you ask if we know what the laws are in our States
regarding children who are orphans, and tell hon
you contemplate changing the unjust laws. show-
ing men, women and legislators in every State hon
poor are their laws and helping us to change them.

I do not know very much about how the laws pro-
vide for orphans, but. I do know how the ,laws of
Texas do not provide for the married woman, and
wish you Would add this to your reformflfhelping
the poor married woman. She has no individual
legal status at all. If she has money in the bank,
inherited, given to her, or earned, her husband can
draw it out without her consent or knowledge, even
ifl he is a drunl {‘aid or a g rmbler and even if he has
left her. If she works for a salary, her husband is
entitled to collect it and dispose of same in any
manner he chooses. She h: rs no redress. Sire. is v 11-
de Ir a contractual (11er )rhtv and can not enter into
a bond or obligation of any nature so as to bi::l
herself. She can not legally quality to hold any
office where bond is necessary. The only restric-
tion upon his power is that if he tries to; sell her
individual property, or real estate owned by him,
he has to have her signatm ‘e to the deed lioweVer,
he mav use the proceeds as suits his fancy, aftci
the sale.

That such a bsurd and unjust 1: w. s exist in a (iv i-
lized and enlightened time unbelievable.
Even if a woman has a good husband, she should
be recognized legally as naving the same rights as her
unmarried sister, who stands on an equality in law
with a man, with the exception of voting and holl—
ing office. But if a woman should happen not to
have a good husband—and such a happening is not
as as one would VVI'ish—VV'ert can she do to
protect herself? There are still some women \‘.":‘I)
are old fashioned enough to have. religious serupltu
and objections to divorces; some even looking upon
marriage as a sacrament. Poor benignant souls!
[Ubvionsly sarcasm] They are generally the ones
who, in the all—wise ordering of things. draw a blank
in that great game of chance [marriage], and gnt
worthless husbands.

$031113

rare

WILLIAM HARD

Fortunatelyt there are gool husbands, as we all
know, and it is to the. 0. good husbands the married
women of Texas have to look for redress of their
grievances, for the bad ones don’t care. Those men
who are not yet husbands will surely lend their aid,
for they certainly will be anxious to be classed with
the sheep and not with the goats.

Hoping that you will take this up as a much
needed reform, along with the commendable inten-
tion to help the little orphans, I am,

\Ier y truly V ours,
(Signed) \IRS. .\. V. W.

Thi ‘ lett 11 sInpris- d me, and I hav e the 1m—
pression 1 will ur ,1) i 1: some of you

I had no irle a the laws for women s protec—
tion wer 1 antiquated, to the point of being me-
dieval, in some States.

I began to question men about laws for wom~
en, and found blissful ignorance. I began to
question women, and found ignorance as bliss—
ful—but less wise.

[11 many .S‘lrzz‘es a a101111111's rig/115 150 property,
to Children, and to her [1111:9011 are very far from
being propeerI sa/‘egzia1’ded.

Does that interest you?

Do you know what your rights are under the
laws of your State?

\Ve have been looking into the matter and
find conditions sufficiently confused to warrant
us, for the pres nt, in centering our investiga—
tions upon laws for women,1 rather than laws
for dependent chil he 11.

For], when the rights of women are properly
safeguarded, the (let)en