lliam T. Sedgwick, Mr. Foxcroft
and Mr. Russell spoke in opposition. Municipal Suffrage was not
debated, but after discussion on March 10 and 11, in the House of
Representatives, the vote on License Suffrage, including pairs, stood
60 yeas, 116 nays.

The record for 1899 and 1900 presented no variations except that a
number of local associations petitioned for Municipal Suffrage for
Taxpaying Women. The State association did not officially ask for
this, though the majority of its officers favored the measure. The
annual hearings were given, the usual large crowds were in attendance,
the ablest men and women in the State advocated the granting of
suffrage, those heretofore mentioned spoke in opposition,[323] and the
negative vote was in about the same proportion as before the
"remonstrants" made their appearance.[324]

LAWS: Until 1845 the women of Massachusetts suffered to the fullest
extent the barbarities of the English Common Law. After that date the
changes were gradual but very slow. From 1884 there was but little
improvement in the property laws until 1899, when a radical revision
was effected by a legislative committee and approved by the
Legislature. As there was to be a general revision of the statutes and
the new book would not be issued until Jan. 1, 1902, it was decided
that all should go into effect at that date. The new property law for
women provides as follows: No distinction is made between real and
personal property in distributing the estate. The surviving husband or
wife takes and holds one-third if the deceased leaves children or
their descendants; $5,000 and one-half of the remaining estate if the
deceased leaves no issue; and the whole if the deceased leaves no
kindred. This is taken absolutely and not for life. Curtesy and dower
have not been abolished but the old-time curtesy, which is a life
interest in the whole of a deceased wife's real estate, is cut down to
a life interest in one-third, the same as dower; and in order to be
entitled to dower or curtesy the surviving husband or wife must elect
to take it in preference to abiding by the above provisions.

Either husband or wife can make a will under the new law without the
consent of the other, but the survivor, if not satisfied with the will
of the deceased, can waive it within a year and take the same share of
the estate that he (or she) would have taken if there had been no
will, except that, if he would thus become entitled to more tha