The suburban citizen., 1901-06-01
woMEN's NEW MOVE.
Tho Outlook For bachelors is Constd
cred Very Gloomy.

Tho Outlook For bachelors is Constd
cred Very Gloomy.
The new century opens up with a
gloomy outlook fof bachelors, writes
Dorothy Dix, in the New York Jour
nal Their liberty is threatened on
every side. 1t has always taken tai
ent to enable an eligible young man
20 remain single. In the future moth.
ing short of absolute diplomatic genius
Will keep his neck out of the matrl.
monlal halter
For several years the cloud has been
darkening about his devoted head
Moralists have never wearied in ex-
horting young men to marry, whether
they had anything to marry on or not,
on the principle presumably, that one
man had as good a right as another
20 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.
The most radical step, however,
against the bachelors liberty has been
taken by France. Alarmed at the de.
crease in population, a 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. America
has no such necessity. In the number,
and quality, and variety of her babies,
as in her other productions she leads
the world, and challenges competition.
Thank heaven, we need no Govern
ment subsidy there!
Still, there's no telling what will
happen, and, with such a precedent as
France sets, no unmarried man is safe.
The very foundation stone Of our Gov
ernment rests on the principle Of tax
ing luXuries, and not necessities, and
in any time of financial stress It can
easily be shown that single blessed
ness is a luxury for which man
ought to pay.
More protentions still for the bache-
lor is the fact that the twentieth CEN
tury woman is going to take a hand in
the love making. She is going to be
wooer, as well as wooed, and when
one reflects on how thorough, and sci
entific, and determined the modern
woman is in everything she under
takes, it is enough to send the cold
chils down the backbone of every
man who cherishes a preference for
liberty.
There will be no dilly-dally business
in her love making. He can't work
the bashful dodge then. In other days
when he led the attack he could with
draw to a place of safety when the
engagement threatened to get serious.
1t will be different story when the
besieged turns pursuer. Many an
army has been captured in hurried
fight.
Already a club of twentieth century
young women has been organized at
New York, with the
avowed purpose of taking the initia-
tive in love making, and overthrowing
the proposing precedents Of the past.
They are going to put women on an
equal with men in prosecuting affairs
Of the heart, and as an evidence of
good faith have each pledged them
selves 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 pro.
poses? Suppose she weeps when he /
says he can only be a brother TO her? !
What man will be able to resist when
le sees himself such a good thing
women cry for him?
1t is clearly impossible for any man
o remain single much longer. A hun.
lred years from now we may look
Onward to the Barnum Of the future
advertising, as one of the attractions
# his unparalleled side show, a genu-
ne, bald-headed bachelor