The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-01-26
Taxine Bnc.helo,rs.

taxing bacHetOFS.
The Blueheld Daily Telegraph be.
4lieyes grand opportunity for fame
ON the part of West Virginia legisla-
tors Is going to waste because a bin
to tax bachelors is not introduced in
our State legislature.
One might ordinarily believe that
the Telegraph's solicitude in the. mat
ter had the object OF promoting the
Rooseyeltian theory Of anti-race sui
eide as well as to provide further hap
piness among those fortunate-or un-
fortunate persons-living in the state
of single blessedness who have passed
the demarcation of marriageable age.
But. the Telegraph evidently enter
tains no such inspiration. The main
object OF such a measure, according
TO the Telegraph, would be the gain
ing of thousands OF additional votes
for the legislator who presented and
pushed the bill. Says the Telegraph:
"a willful bachelor like some half
dozen in Bluefleld we might name
has no rights the community is
bound to respect. Girls will be girls,
the proverb ayouches, but they will
not7rerhin girls long after the right
bachelor asks them to become some
thing else. Herein lies the political
guile: though a proposed tax may
lose the statesman who introduces
the bill all or part of the bachelors
vote-dependlng upon It's severity
he is certain to win, the entire
strength Of the woman's influence,
which simply means that he can be
reelected forever and aspire to and
obtain any Office within the gift of a
statewide, or even national, constit-
uency. What will care he for the
good will of tremendous minority
of bachelor electors, If lovely woman
shall be for him. first and last, by
and large, and all the time forever?"
All of this sounds very nice, but
1t appears that the Telegraph has
considerably over-estimated the pop
ulation of spinsters in the Little
Mountain State, and overlooked few
other considerations. The vote
hungry legislator may be fortunate
In securing the influence OF the
feminine sex, but when an election
comes around he will likely conclude
that those who have the right IL
vote will have more influence at the
polls than the women. The married
woman undoubtedly has an influence
over her husband In many things.
but the run of events shows that the
husband also has certain persuasive
effect upon the wife. The Telegram
believes the Telegraph has erred in
bundling up til whole of the married
bundling up the whole OF the married
feet of a legislator who endeavors to
sail about the cloudy heights of fame
through species of freak legislation.
Putting aside the question OF get
ting and losing the votes, why is
there such animus on the part of the
Telegraph to discriminate in favor Of
the unmarried woman and against
the poor, forlorn, rejected bachelor?
BY what authority or upon what
premise is it assumed that the single
ness Of the bachelor is due only and
solely to his fault? The Telegram
has observed many charming mar
rlageable young women who have the
best of opportunities to marry. Why
do they persist in remaining single?
A few properly directed goo-goo
eyes, artful smiles and coy actions
upon the part of the feminine aspir.
ant will he more eftectual in the av.
etage case than all the legislation
that can be enacted at Charleston In
a coon's age.
II the Telegraph is really sincere
in the matter. It can do more goot
toward fostering marriage by advo
eating, a political administration o
this state that encourages and pro