Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-03
A BACHELORS DEFENSE:
"WOMEN WILL NOT WED"
<kVTT HY not tax old maids?" is a
wv query propounded by writer

<kVTT HY not tax old maids?" is a
w query propounded by a writer
in the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
crat, who wakes eloquent after
fashion decidedly suggestive of know
ing whereof he speaks.
1.-THE legislatures of q number of
states," says this solon, fare again con-
sidering the ancient question of taxing
bachelors; but why, asks a heart spe-
ciallst, should bachelors be taxed any
more than old maids? People grow
historical over the declining marriage
rate and rail violently against men who
will not take upon their shoulders the
yoke of matrimony.
THE plain truth is this: Women, in
these times of ours, or, at any rate,
large majority of them won't accept
offers of marriage; they rather spurn
them, and the idea of being in any way
tied down is utterly repugnant to your
ordinary woman of today.
every man, when he reaches GER
tain salary proposes to some woman,
and 1 do not believe there are excep-
tions, or ever have been. Men are only
too anxious to marry, and 1t is not one
woman only whom your average man
proposes to-. in many cases he tries a
few ere he retires confused and dis
gusted at woman's reluctance to marry
"It is the merest clap-trap to say that
jump at any offer of marriage. She IS
not. Usually she is extremely particu-
lar, and will not think of marriage un-
less she clearly sees that it will benefit
and better her in every way.
Men cannot get wives in these days;
for one young woman who is ready and
willing to marry there are half a dozen
men ready to snap her up, so keen is
the competition for the marrying girl.
"How people can support any move
ment which aims at the taxation of
bachelors puzzles me; they can not
nave examined the facts.
Certainly, tax men who won't make
an effort to get married-that is diff
ferent thing, but precious few would
there be to tax. And, most certainly,
tax any woman who, having received
offers of marriage, has refused them
all, granted that all else is equal. In
that event a good sum would come TO
the revenue annually.
NOW, I know the sort of argument
likely to be brought forward. If
young woman does not fancy any of
the men who propose to her, is she not
right to refuse them all? Quite right,
but, in that event, don't say that men
will not come forward and don't pro-
pose to tax bachelors for the latter
reason.
mo wonder widows, especially young
ones, get married quite easily ACCOIu-
ingly, they give men trifle of encour-
agement; they do not ladle out rebuffs
and contemptuous remarks when a man
comes to ask their hand in marriage.
Business Women Greatest Sinners
"But the ordinary girl Of today, of
from 20 to &c years of age! She won't
make much Of move toward the altar;
she thinks that marriage is bore and
a humbug, and condition which holds
out no good prospects whatever.
Undoubtedly, it is the women who
are responsible for our declining mar
riage rate; they, ana not the men. are
to blame, and the business woman IS
the greatest sinner amongs the sex,
especially she who has attained to a
salary of, perhaps, $40 a week.
IT have found it to be a fact that the
woman who earns salary of that kind
will not wed on any account; and she
who earns. say, SIS to 500 a week
absolutely jeers at wedlock.
"'In short, the high-salaried woman
may be set down as a certain spinster
she is too comfortable ever to think
of marriage; never would such as she
consent to be tied down to the routine
of ordinary household work.
eff bachelors are to be taxed, tax
spinsters, too; they are the greater
Offenders, if the truth be told"