The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-05-02
The Bachelor.

As matters now stand at present, the
bachelor-as householder, at any rate
contributes to the rates and taxes of his
country. whereas the married man has to
pay both for his own privileges and for
those of the single man. This, then, not
revert to an ancient usage, and subject
the pecuniary penalties for his self-ap-
pointed immunity from the cares of
domestic life?
When proposal was made not so long
ago To tax the bachelors of France As
they We're taxed in the DAYS of the First
Republic, the fact was recalled that re-
publics generally have been hard upon
the celibates. The wise Plato CON
demned the single man to a fine, and in
Sparta they were driven at stated times
to the temple Of Hercules by the women,
who there drilled and eastigated them in
true military style
The ancient Romans, too, were severe
with their bachelors, who We're made to
pay heavy fines; and, worse than that,
for, after the seige Of Veil, Camilus is re-
corded to have compelled them to marry
the widows of the soldiers who had fall
len in the war.
Again in the time of Augustus, the
married men, all other things being
equal, were preferred to the single man
foa the public offices. Then the Roman
who had three children was exempted
from personal taxes and the bachelors
not only had to pay them, but were pre-
vented from inheriting the property of
an, one not a Roman citizen.
Coming to more recent times, we have
several instances of a like kind recorded
for US by the recent writer on the sub
ject. la the French settlement of Cana
da, for example, the single men. that
they might be forced to marry, were
subjected to heavy taxation aud to re-
strictions on their trade and movements
generally.
These who married were dealt with.
on the other hand in a generous spirit.
Not only were they provided with a
good wife and a comfortable home, but
they were rewarded according to the
number of their offspring. The father
of ten children, for instance, was pen
stoned for life at the rate of 300 livres d
year. If he had twelve children, he had
100 liyres more, and the amount ran W
to 200 livres year when fifteen child
rem blessed the union.
About the close of the seventeenth
century the local authorities of Eastman
t in Massachusetts, voted that every I'M
married man in the township should kill
six black birds or three crows yearly as
long as he remained single, producing
the scalps in proof; and AS penalty foi
not obeying the order he was forbidden
to marry until he had made up all
arrears.
The requirements were almost nomi
nal; but it was somewhat different il
Maryland, where half a century later the
colonial Assembly imposed tax of j
shillings yearly upon all bachelors over
thrty-as we'll as upon widows without
children-who were possessed with $500
England was not quite so severe
when William III chose to single out the
bachelors for special enactments. In
those days any commoner who remained
single at twenty-five had to pay shill.
ing fine yearly, and the amount increas-
ed with rank or title. A duke was sup
posed to be IA special offender in not TAX
ing wife, and had to pay for his whim
to the extent of twelve pounds ten shill.
ings per annum. 1t it thus evident that
the fact was recognized that the pros
perty of country depends upon Its
married citizens.