Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-10

The Treatment He Received in Ancient
Times.

The Treatment He Received in Ancient
Times.
AS matters stand at present, the bache-
lor-as householder, at any rate--con-
tributes nothing 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. to
say the least. is hardly fair. Why, then,
not revert to an ancient usage. and sub
ject the bachelor to peouniary penalties
for his self-appointed immunity from the
cares Of domestic lfe2
When proposal was made not so long
ago to tax the bachelors of France, as
they were taxed in the days OF the
first republic, the fact was recalled that
republics generally have been hard upon
the celibates The wise Plato condemned
the single men to 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 were made to
pay heavy fines; and worse than that
Tor, after the siege Of Veil, Camlllus is re-
corded to have compelled them to marry
the widows OF the soldiers who had fallen
In the war.
Again, in the time OF Augustus, the
married men, all other things being equal
were preferred to tho single men for the
public offices. Then the Roman who had
three children was exempted from per-
sonal taxes, and the bachelors not only
had to pay them. but were prevented
from inheritng the property of any one
not a Roman citizen.
80,
several Instances OF like kind recorded
for us by recent wriNr on the subject
In the French settlement OF Canada, for
example. women were sent over after
the men, and the single men, that they
might be forced TO marry. were subjected
70 heavy taxation and 10 restrictions on
their trade and movements generally.
THOSE who married were dealt with. on
the other hand. In generous spirit. Not
ohly We're they provided with a good wife
ana a comfortable home. but they were
rewarded according to the number OF their
ousprlng' The father of ten children, for
instance, was pensloned for life at the
rate OF 800 liyres a year. IL he had 70
children he had 100 livres a year more
ana the amount ran up to 1900 lyres a
year When 10 children blessed the union.
ABOUT the close Of the l7th century
ele iocai authorities Of Eastman. In Mas
sechpsetts, voted that every ,ntnatrIod
| man In the township should KIN slx blnclf-
plrus or three crows yearly as long as he
remained single, producing the scalps in
proof ana. as penalty for not obeying
tnne order he was forbidden to marry UNI
~ he had made up all arreargI
ne requirements here were almost NOM
nal; but 1t was somewhat dleierent in
S MH,ryiand, where half century later the
] co,ohlai assembly imposed a tav Of r
shiilings yearly upon ali bachelors over
1 eTss Wen as upon wldowers without
,'ur swho were possessed $500
W. az meme Ml, We were not quite so severe
M Mhsh william III. chose to single ont the
naehelors for special enaetments IN IN
s,ns Jays any eommoner who remained
s y.,, al = had to pay smiling ane
VIM WHY ra,, ana the amount was Increased
M''h RANK or title. A duke was snnnossd
20 pe special offender in moi 1919 pposea q
es,e e apg 9ad to pay for his within to the
sy Stsne Q, ti2 jos. per annurn. II is thus
he pros may me fact was recognized that
"- married aifizsns oepehus upon