The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-12-05
MUST MARRY OR BE TAXED,
In France 1t Is Proposed to Levy a
Special Assessment Upon Bach
eLOrs-The Argentine Law.

CAOES-AAG argentine AAWs
The hill just introduced into the
lower house of the French parlja-
ment proposing a tax on bachelors,
as an incentive to matrimony, calls
attention once more to the numer-
GUS former attempts that have been
made to convert the confirmed cell
IA tie into benedict by coercive meas
ures. The proposition to tax bache-
lors is not altogether new. 1t has
made its appearance in a number of
different shapes, but it was left to
South American republic-the Argen-
tine Federation-to put it to a prac-
teal and, as has been claimed, unsuc-
cessful test. Taxation, however, is
not the only method which has been
employed or suggested at different
times for the diminution of bachelor
dom, says the Detroit Free Press.
Some years ago, for instance, it
was proposed in Germany that every
celibate official in the lower grades
of the empires service be compelled
to marry. But as Germany is the
Adhu vi anu
rich merchant princes with marriage
able daughters, no such compulsory
treatment was necessary to stimulate
matrimony, and the scheme fell
through. In medieval times there
was a king, whose dominions being
depleted of population by war and
pestilence, ordered every young man
in hic Iii ,fp1F, 30 AZ
special privileges to those who COM
piled, and imposing severe penalties
on those who tried to avoid their
fate.
A few centuries later one of the
half-mad Mohammedan rulers of the
east issued an edict ordering the de-
capitation of every official who with
in given time had not espoused at
least four wives. The alderman of
one of the New England towns who
few days ago introduced an ordi-
nance into the city council proposing
that all the bachelors in the munich
pality employ be obliged to marry
or lose their jobs, shows that even
in this free country the poor cell
bate is having hard time of it.
But undoubtedly one of the most
novel and determined efforts to drive
the bachelor to matrimony or sui
eide IS the law which has been pro-
mulgated in one of the states form
ing the Argentina Federation. The
law, which has just gone into opera
tion, Will either make the territory
within it's jurisdiction a matrimonial
paradise, or drive every bachelor to
the poor farm. 1t provides for q
scale Of taxes that have an upward
tendency till the man reaches his
seventy-fifth year. A man is mar
riageable in Argentina when he has
completed his twentieth year. If
from that date and till he passes his
thirtieth birthday he wishes to re-
main single, he must pay SIS a month
to the state. For the next five years
the tax increases a hundred per cent.
Between 35 and so the bachelor is
supposed to have crystallized into
confirmed state, and a strong finan-
cial jolt is considered necessary to
awake him from his lethargy.
He is, therefore, mulcted to the
tune of $40 month. From his fifth
eth year to five beyond the Scriptural
three-score and ten, the bachelor is
mulcted $50, but having reached the
seventy-fifth year, relief comes, and
the tax becomes nominal, being re-
duced to SO per annum. After so
man can remain single without pay
ing anything. There is a paragraph
relating to widowers, who are given
three years in which to mourn and
pick successor.
If man is unable to pay his taxes
he is put in prison, unless he can
show a just cause, such as lack of
employment or sickness. A man who
can prove that he has received three
destinations in one year is also con-
sidered to have earned immunity
from taxation. 1t is said that the
law works like a charm. Since the
day when it went into operation the
alcaldes of the villages and towns
have done rushing business, and the
treasury is as empty as before, which
seems to indicate that between the
two evils of marrying or parting with
the hard earned coin, the bachelors
of Argentina prefer the former.
1t is probable that the legislator
of France who wants to tax the bach
elors of his country has studied the
success of the movement in Argen-
tina. 1t is well-known fact that in
France both the population and mat
rimony are rapidly on the decline,
and some radical measure is neces-
sary to- stop the evil, which consti-
tutes serious menace to the coun-
try's welfare.
WOman's business.
Back of every great worthy achieve
ment of man, find the woman-moth-