riends and a member of the league is always in attendance. When
another amendment campaign is to be made Southern California will be
found ready for work and will declare in its favor by a largely
increased majority.

* * * * *

LAWS: The original property law of California is an inheritance from
the Mexicans, which it incorporated in its own code, and it is quite
as unjust as those which still exist on the statute-books of some
States as a remnant of the barbarous old English Common Law. Community
property includes all which is accumulated by the joint labors of
husband and wife after marriage. This is in the absolute control of
the husband. Previous to 1891 he could dispose of all of it as if he
had no wife, could will, sell, mortgage, pledge or give it away. That
year the Legislature enacted that he could not make a gift of it or
convey it without a valuable consideration, unless the wife consented
in writing, although he could still dispose of it in ordinary business
transactions without her knowledge or consent. The decision in the
Spreckles case apparently nullified this law, as the gift was made in
1893 and the Supreme Court in 1897 declared it legal.[185]

In 1895 it was provided that at the husband's death the wife is
entitled to one-half of what remains, subject to one-half of the
debts. At the death of the wife the whole belongs absolutely to the
husband without administration. If some portion of it may have been
set apart for her support by judicial decree, this is subject to her
testamentary disposition, or, if she makes none, it passes to her
heirs.

A homestead to the value of $5,000, which must continuously be
occupied by the family, may be selected from the community property,
or from the husband's separate estate, or from the wife's with her
consent. If from the first-named it belongs to the survivor, if from
the separate property it descends to his or her heirs, subject to the
power of the court to assign it to the family for a limited period.
During marriage it can not be mortgaged or conveyed without the
signature of both. In case of divorce, if it has been selected from
community property, it may be assigned to the innocent party
absolutely or for a limited time, or it may be sold and the proceeds
divided, according to decree. If selected from separate property it
shall be returned to the former owner, but the court may assign it for
a limited time to the innocen