The age-herald., 1901-02-02
WoMAeN9 e9cinrv
The Outlook for Bachelors
 Is Very Gloomy


 "The new century opens up with gloomy outlook for bachelors. Their liberty is threatened on every side. It has always taken talent to enable an eligible young man to remain single. In the future noth- ing short of absolute diplomatic genius will keep his neck out of the matrimonial hal- ter writes Dorothy Dix in the New York Journal.
 For several years the cloud has been darkening about his devoted head. Moral- ists have never wearied in exhorting young men to marry, whether they had anything to marry on or not, on the principle, pre- sumably, that one man has as good right as another to starve a woman. Preachers have also discoursed on the holy estate of matrimony until one might infer that man was created and sent into the world solely to marry, and that his chief end was to glorify woman and pay her bills. A'"The most radical step, however, against the bachelors liberty has been taken by l France. Alarmed at the decrease in popu- | lation, bill has been introduced into the French Senate for the purpose of levying a heavy tax on celibates. This is Frances way of fostering her infant industry. Amer ica has no such necessity. In the number, and quality, and variety of her babies, in her other productions, she leads the world, and challenges competition. Thank heaven, we need no government subsidy there
 Still, there's no telling what will hap pen, and, with such precedent as France sets, no unmarried man is safe. The very foundation stone of our government rests on the principle of taxing luxuries, and not necessities, and in any time of financial stress it can easily be shown that single blessedness in a luxury for which a man ought to pay.
 More portentous still for the bachelor is the fact that the twentieth century woman is going to take hand in the lovemaking She is going to be wooer as well wooed, and when one reflects on how thorough and scientific and determined the modern woman is in everything she undertakes, it is enough to send the cold chills down the back of every man who cherishes a preference for personal liberty.
 There will be no dilly-dally in her love- making. He can't work the bashful dodge then. In other days when he led the attack he could withdraw to a place of safety when the engagement threatened to get seri- 
 besieged turns pursuer Many an army has been captured in hurried flight.
 Already a club of twentieth century young women has been organized at Bing- hamton, New York, with the avowed pur- pose of taking the initiative in lovemaking, and overthrowing the proposing precedents ot the past. They are going to put women on an equal footing with men in prosecut- ing affairs of the heart, and as an evidence of good faith have each pledged themselves to propose matrimony to some man during the year.
 Thus are the tolls closing in about the hapless bachelor. He may turn a deaf ear to the moralist, he may be willing to pay a tax for the privilege of remaining single, but what is he going to do when lovely woman proposes? Suppose she weeps when he says he can only be brother to her? What man will be able to resist when he sees himself such good thing women cry for him?
 Tt is clearly impossible for any man to remain single much longer. A hundred years from now we may look forward to the Barnum of the future advertising as one of the attractions of his unparalleled side show a genuine, baldheaded bachelor