In 1892 Wendell Phillips Stafford introduced the Municipal Suffrage Bill into the House; it was made a special order and was championed by Messrs. Stafford, Booth, Darling, Enright, Martin, Taylor, Weston and others, and was passed by 149 yeas, 83 nays. When it reached the Senate it was reported from the Judiciary Committee with a weighty amendment, and a third reading was refused by 18 yeas, 10 nays.
At this session Gov. Levi K. Fuller in his address, under the heading of Municipal Suffrage, called attention to this question and advised "giving the matter such consideration as in your judgment it may warrant."
In 1894 the bill was introduced again into the House by Hosea Mann, who advocated and voted for this measure in four sessions of the Legislature. Four members of the Judiciary Committee were favorable—Messrs. Ladd, Lord, Lawrence and Stone. Its champions were Messrs. Mann, Burbank, Bridgeman, Butterfield, Fuller, Peck, Paddock, Smith of Morristown, Vance and others. It was defeated by 106 yeas, 108 nays.
In 1896, for the first time, a Municipal Suffrage Bill was introduced into the Senate, by Joseph B. Holton. It was reported favorably by the committee; ordered to a third reading with only one opposing voice; advocated by Messrs. Holton, Hulburd, Merrifield and Weeks, and passed without a negative vote. When the bill reached the House it was reported from the Judiciary Committee "without recommendation." It was supported by Speaker Lord, Messrs. Bates, Bunker, Childs, Clark, Haskins, McClary and others, but a third reading was refused by 89 yeas, 135 nays.
In 1898 petitions for Municipal Suffrage signed by 2,506 citizens were presented to the Legislature and a bill was introduced into the House by E. A. Smith. This was reported by an unfriendly chairman of the Judiciary Committee at a time when its author was not present, and was lost without the courtesy of a discussion.
In 1900, petitions for Municipal Suffrage for Women Taxpayers were presented to the Senate; a bill was introduced by H. C. Royce, and at a hearing granted by the Judiciary Committee Henry B. Blackwell, L. F. Wilbur, the Hon. W. A. Lord and Mrs. E. M. Denny gave arguments for it. Adverse majority and favorable minority reports were presented by the committee. By request of Messrs. Royce and Brown, the bill was made a special order, when it was advocated by Messrs. Royce and Leland; but a third reading was refused by 13 yeas, 15 nays. Later in this session, a petition signed by the officers of the State W. S. A., asking that "women, who are taxpayers, be exempt from taxation, save for school purposes," was presented to the Senate. This was, by the presiding officer, referred to the Committee on the Insane.
The names of all members voting for suffrage bills have been preserved by the State association. The names of the opponents pass into oblivion with no regrets.
In 1900 a bill was presented, for the second time, by the Federation of Clubs, providing for women on the boards of State institutions where women or children are confined, but it was killed in committee.
In 1884 the law granting to married women the right to own and control their separate property and the power to make contracts, was secured through the efforts of the Hon. Henry C. Ide, now United States Commissioner in the Philippines. Since 1888 their wages have belonged to them.
Dower and curtesy were abolished by the Legislature of 1896. Where there are no children the widow or the widower takes in the estate of the deceased $2,000 and one-half of the remainder, the other half going to the relatives of the deceased. If there are children, the widow takes absolutely one-third of the husband's real estate (homestead of the value of $500 included) and one-third of his personal property after payment of debts; the widower takes one-third of the wife's real estate absolutely, but does not share in her personal property.