The History of Woman Suffrage Volume IV Part 72

The annual meeting of 1899 took place in Madison, September 5, 6. The tenth convention met in Brookings, Sept. 5, 1900. Mrs. Simmons having removed from the State, Mrs. Alice M. A. Pickler was elected president. Mrs. Philena Everett Johnson was made vice-president.[209]

Among the prominent friends of woman suffrage may be mentioned the Hon. Arthur C. Mellette, first State Governor; U. S. Senators Richard F. Pettigrew, James H. Kyle and Robert J. Gamble; Lieutenant-Governor D. T. Hindman; members of Congress J. A. Pickler, W. B. Lucas and E. W. Martin; the Hons. S. A. Ramsey and Coe I. Crawford; Attorney-General John L. Pyle, Judge D. C. Thomas, General W. H.

Beadle, Professor McClennen, of the Madison Normal School, and ministers of many churches. The Hon. J. H. Patton and the Hon. W. C.

Bowers paid the expenses of the legislative committee of the suffrage a.s.sociation while they were in Pierre during the winter of 1897 to secure the submission of an amendment. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court A. J. Edgerton, was a p.r.o.nounced advocate of woman suffrage and appointed a woman official stenographer of his judicial district, the best salaried office within his gift. a.s.sociate Justice Seward Smith appointed a woman clerk of the Faulk County district court.[210]

LAWS: Neither dower nor curtesy obtains. If either husband or wife die without a will, leaving only one child or the lawful issue of one, the survivor is ent.i.tled to one-half of the separate estate of the other; or one-third if there are more than one child or the issue of more than one. If there are no children nor the issue of any, the survivor is ent.i.tled to one-half of the estate and the other half goes to the kindred of the deceased. If there are none the survivor takes all. A homestead of 160 acres, or one-quarter of an acre in town, may be reserved for the widow or widower.

Either husband or wife may dispose of separate property, real or personal, by deed or will, without the consent of the other. Joint real estate, including the homestead, can be conveyed only by signature of both, but the husband may dispose of joint personal property without the consent of the wife.

In order to control her separate property the wife must keep it recorded in the office of the county register.

On the death of an unmarried child the father inherits all of its property. If he is dead and there are no other children, the mother inherits it. If there are brothers and sisters she inherits a child's share.

A married woman can not act as administrator. Of several persons claiming and equally ent.i.tled to act as executors, males must be preferred to females.

A married woman can control her earnings outside the home only when living separate from her husband.

The father is the legal guardian and has custody of the persons and services of minor children. If he refuse to take the custody or has abandoned his family or has been legally declared a drunkard, the mother is ent.i.tled to the custody.

The law declares the husband the head of the family and he must support the wife by his separate property or labor, but if he has not deserted her, and has no separate property, and is too infirm to support her by his labor, the wife must support him and their children out of her separate property or in other ways to the extent of her ability. An act of Feb. 21, 1896, makes the wife liable for necessaries for the family purchased on her own account to the same extent that her husband would be liable under a similar purchase, but with no control over the joint earnings.

The causes for divorce are the same as in most States but only six months' residence is required. The disposition of the children is left entirely with the court.

In 1887, through the efforts of the W.C.T.U., the "age of protection"

for girls was raised from 10 to 14 years. In 1893 they tried to have it made 18 but the Legislature compromised on 16 years. Rape in the first degree _is punishable_ by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than ten years; in the second degree, not less than five years.

The penalty for seduction and for enticing away for purposes of prost.i.tution is prescribed by the same words "is punishable," which in reality leaves it to the judgment of the court, but the statutes fix the penalty for all other crimes by the words "shall be punished." In addition to this lat.i.tude the penalty for seduction or enticing for purposes of prost.i.tution is, if the girl is under 15, imprisonment in the penitentiary not more than five years, or in the county jail not more than one year, or by fine not exceeding $1,000, or both; with no minimum penalty.

SUFFRAGE: The Territorial Legislature of 1879 gave women a vote on questions pertaining to the schools, which were then decided at school meetings. This was partially repealed by a law of 1883 which required regular polls and a private ballot, but this act did not include fifteen counties which had school districts fully established, and women still continued to vote at these district school meetings. In 1887 a law was enacted giving all women the right to vote at all school elections for all officers, and making them eligible for all school offices. The const.i.tution which was adopted when South Dakota entered the Union (1889) provided that "any woman having the required qualifications as to age, residence and citizens.h.i.+p may vote at any election held solely for school purposes." As State and county superintendents are elected at general and not special elections, women can vote only for school trustees. They have no vote on bonds or appropriations.

OFFICE HOLDING: The State const.i.tution provides that all persons, either male or female, being twenty-one years of age and having the necessary qualifications, shall be eligible to the office of school director, treasurer, judge or clerk of school elections, county superintendent of public schools and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. All other civil offices must be filled by male electors.

There are at present eleven women serving as county superintendents.

They sit on the school boards in many places and have been treasurers.

A woman was nominated for State Superintendent of Public Instruction by the Independent party.

Efforts to secure a law requiring women on the boards of State inst.i.tutions have failed. The Governor is required to appoint three women inspectors of penal and charitable inst.i.tutions, who are paid by the State and make their report directly to him. They inspect the penitentiary, reform school, insane hospitals, deaf and dumb inst.i.tute and school for the blind. There is one a.s.sistant woman physician in the State Hospital for the Insane. Women in subordinate official positions are found in all State inst.i.tutions.

They act as clerks in all city, county and State offices and in the Legislature, and have served as court stenographers and clerk of the Circuit Court.

There are eight women notaries public at the present time.

OCCUPATIONS: No profession or occupation is legally forbidden to women. Ten hours is made a legal working day for them. Four women are editing county papers.

EDUCATION: All inst.i.tutions of learning are open alike to both s.e.xes and there are women on the faculties. In the public schools there are 1,225 men and 3,581 women teachers. The average monthly salary of the men is $36.45; of the women $30.82.

The W.C.T.U. was the first organization of women in the State and through its franchise department has worked earnestly and collected numerous pet.i.tions for suffrage. The Woman's Relief Corps is the largest body, having 1,800 members. The Eastern Star, Daughters of Rebekah, Ladies of the Maccabees, and other lodge societies are well organized. The Federation of Clubs, the youngest a.s.sociation, represents 200 members. A number of churches have women on their official boards.

FOOTNOTES:

[200] At the New Orleans Exposition in 1885 the displays of Kansas, Dakota and Nebraska taught the world the artistic value of grains and gra.s.ses for decoration, but it was exemplified most strikingly in the Dakota's Woman's Department, arranged by Mrs. J. M. Melton of Fargo.

Among the industrial exhibits was a carriage robe sent from a leading furrier to represent the skilled work of women in his employ. There were also bird fans, a curtain of duck skins and cases of taxidermy, all prepared and cured by women, and a case of work from women employed in the printing office of the Fargo Argus. Four thousand bouquets of gra.s.ses were distributed on Dakota Day and carried away as curious and beautiful memorials. All were made by women in the Territory.

[201] The History is indebted for this part of the chapter to Dr.

Janette Hill Knox, of Wahpeton, corresponding secretary of the State Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation.

[202] U. S. Senator W. N. Roach also wrote and voted in favor of woman suffrage. Martin N. Johnson, M. C., was a strong advocate.

[203] Officers elected: Honorary presidents, Dr. Cora Smith Eaton and Miss Mary Allen Whedon; president, Mrs. Flora Blackman Naylor; vice-president, Mrs. G. S. Roberts; corresponding secretary, Dr.

Janette Hill Knox; recording secretary, Mrs. Henrietta Paulson Haagenson; treasurer, Mrs. Anna Carmody; auditors, Mrs. J. S. Kemp, Mrs. Addie L. Carr; member national executive committee, Mrs. Lois L.

Muir; organizer and lecturer, Mrs. Mary E. Slater; press superintendent, Mrs. Flora P. Gates.

In addition to these, the following have served as State officers: Vice-presidents, Mesdames Mary Wilson, Florence Dixon and G. S.

Roberts; corresponding secretaries, Mrs. Sara E. B. Smith, Mrs. Delia Lee Hyde; recording secretary, Mrs. Helen de Lendrecie; treasurer, Mrs. Katherine V. King; auditors, Dr. Helena G. Wink and Mesdames M.

B. Goodrich, L. C. McKinney and L. C. Campbell.

Among other efficient workers may be mentioned Gov. Eli Shortridge, Gov. Roger Allen, Dr. M. V. B. Knox, Miss Bena Halerow, and Mesdames Ida S. Clark, Mazie Stevens, Nellie Mott, Frances M. Dixon, R. C.

Cooper and S. M. Woodhull.

[204] In the Legislature of 1901 a bill was introduced in the House by H. E. Lavayea of Grand Forks County, to take away School Suffrage from women. The bill was unconst.i.tutional and was never reported from the committee, but its introduction stirred up indignant protests from all parts of the State.

[205] The History is indebted to Mrs. Alice M. A. Pickler of Faulkton, president of the State Woman Suffrage a.s.sociation, for the material contained in this part of the chapter.

[206] The speakers raised about $1,400 which went toward paying their expenses. Over $1,000 were secured by other means. Most of the State workers donated their expenses.

[207] A graphic account of this campaign, with many anecdotes and personal reminiscences, will be found in the Life and Work of Susan B.

Anthony, Chap. x.x.xVIII.

[208] Pet.i.tions have been presented to several Legislatures to grant Munic.i.p.al Suffrage by statute but a bill for this purpose has been brought to a vote only once, in 1893, when it was pa.s.sed by the Senate, 27 ayes, 11 noes; and defeated in the House by only one vote.

[209] Others who have served in official position are vice-president, Mrs. Emma A. Cranmer; corresponding secretaries, Mesdames Kate Uline Folger, F. C. Bidwell, Hannah V. Best; treasurers, Mrs. Elizabeth M.

Wardall, Mrs. Marion L. Bennett, Mrs. Clara M. Williams; auditor, Mrs.

John Davis; superintendents of literature, Mrs. Jane Rooker Breeden, Mrs. Delia Robinson King.

[210] The list of men and women who are not so widely known but who have stood faithfully for woman suffrage would be a long one. Among them are S. H. Cranmer, Rev. and Mrs. C. E. Hagar, Mrs. Alice Gossage, Mrs. C. E. Thorpe, Mrs. Luella A. Ramsey, Mrs. Ruby Smart, Kara Smart and Floy Cochrane.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

DELAWARE.[211]

In the campaign of 1884 the Republicans had a s.h.i.+p of State called the New Const.i.tution, with an eagle on the top, which was mounted on wheels and taken from place to place where they held public meetings.