ried. She may dispose of all her separate property
by deed or will, without the consent of her husband. He can not do
this.

The father is the legal guardian of the persons, estates and earnings
of the minor children. If he abandon them the mother is entitled
thereto. At his death she is the guardian, if suitable. Should she
marry again she loses the guardianship but, by agreement, the court
may re-appoint her.

If the husband is not able to support the family the wife must
maintain him and the children to the best of her ability, and her
separate estate may be held liable. If he wilfully neglect to provide
for them his separate property shall be held liable, and he may be
imprisoned in the county jail not less than sixty days nor more than
six months.

In case either husband or wife abandons the family and leaves the
State for a year or more, or is sent to prison for a year or more, the
court may authorize the one remaining to sell or encumber the property
of the other for the maintenance of the family or the debts which were
left unpaid after due notice has been given to the absent one.

The causes for divorce do not differ from those in a number of other
States, but by requiring a residence of only six months a great
inducement is offered to persons from outside to come here for the
express purpose of securing a divorce.

The "age of protection" for girls was raised from 10 to 14 years in
1887. The women attempted in 1895 to have it raised to 18 but
succeeded only in getting 16 years. The reduction of the penalty,
however, made this of small avail. For the first degree it is
imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than ten years; second
degree, imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than five years.
"But no conviction can be had in case the female is over the age of 10
years and the man under the age of 20 years, and it appears to the
satisfaction of the jury that the female was sufficiently matured and
informed to understand the nature of the act and consent thereto."

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 This was partially repealed by a law of 1883 which required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