Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-02-10
The Bachelors Tax Bill.

AVIS, VA, Feb. 81 heard a discus
sion quite recently, based upon the bach
elor s tax bill. the argument brought
forth impressed me greatly. The ques
tion for discussion was: "Resolved
That old bachelors should be taxed fol
the support of old maids" Quite mum
Der of speeches were made and spartisar
interest was keyed up to high pitch.
Ihe acrimOny which usually character
ICES such debates was in its height, but
although good natured, some hard knocks
were given, as well as received. The
! Judges gave unanimous decision in
favor Of the negative. The speakers
were heartily applauded and highly con-
graduated. Though this small Debating
Club by their argument showed quite
plainly that they thought it taxation
without representation, we are uncertain
as yet whether this bachelors tax bill
will be enforced OIL not. But certain we
are that this bill is now gyrating about
the Legislative brain-should it pass
the bachelor will count all his other taxes,
but when it comes to this bachelors tax,
this last straw on the camel's back, We
fear he will cry out "Stop, enough" +" and
those other bad words that usually go
with it.
The bachelor, as we all know, has been
resting for many decades, and why dis
turb his peaceful slumbers. Is it meet
judgment than woman's voice and wo-
mans hand should waken him from his
dreams. What is this bachelors tax
bill but the res ult of woman's suffrage
The very first fruits of that Wyoming
suffrage tree. am very much surprised
that our eastern lawmakers are tamper-
ing with this bait. Now, I implore you
in the name of Love, what is poor fel-
low gong to do when he cannot get any
woman to marry him? Simply become
bachelor of course. Bachelorhood is
claimed by many to be great luxury,
and if we tax whiskey and all other lux
uries, why should we hesitate about tax
ing the bachelor. However, while 1
differ in opinion, this view of the ques-
tion is worthy Of weight. But if we are
going to tax the bachelor for his celibacy
let US not be partial. Why not tax the
bachelors of both sex ?-not only the gen.
tleman bachelor, but the girl bachelor
also. This latest product of American
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. do not statistics show
us that she is growing yearly more ex-
elusive in her freedom. Yes we must
tax them all, every bachelor that reaches
the age of 25. 1t would not be bad plan
to send the girl bachelor to Wyoming and
the boy bachelor to Boston. But says
some one an unmarried woman never |
reaches the age of 25, that's the rub Is
not this proof conclusive that woman s ]
most predominant thought is marriageI
and that she entertains until death per-
haps, a hope of forming those sacred |
ties. So the fault is not wholly the girl /
ba chelors.
But that man doesn't marry, as we
often read, because OF woman's extrava-
gance, is concentrated rubbish. In the
first place, they do not marry because
they do not wish to. In the second, they
should have grace enough to own it. But
tie mans share OF the hard things of this
life are almost similar to the old woman's 3
in the song:
''She bake de bread and gimme de Gus
She eat de corn on gimme de hus',
She fry de meat IN make me wait;
Old Aunt Cleo, at de garden gate'''
3. G.. B.