Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-11-13
BACHELORS AND sp1NsTERs

 over the ancient question of taxing bachelors. But why should bachelors be taxed any more than bachelor maids. People grow hysterical at the declining marriage rate and rail vio- lently against men who will not take upon their shoulders the yoke of mat rimony. But are not the women as much at fault as the men?
 There are young women who have received half dozen or more offers of marriage between the ages of twenty and thirty, and stll they reman spnsters. These young women have had chances of marrying, some of winch were good, yet they refuesd ever yoffer in spite of that fact, however, their spinsteT- hood will be set down as a result of the tardiness of man in assuming respon- sibilities-man, who prefers his free dom, his luxuries and his full liberties.
 There lies the injustice. Man is blamed for not coming forward, when the blame should rest on the women.
 The plain truth is this Women in these times of eurs-at any rate, a large number 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 the ordinary woman of today. The av- craze girl of today of from twenty to twenty.six years of age won't make much of move toward the altar. She is apt to think that marriage is a bore and humbug and condition that holds out no good prospects whatever.
 The business woman is the greatest sinner in this regard, especially she who has attained to a comfortable salary. The high salaried lady absolutely ieers at wedlock and may be set down as certain spinster. She is too cOmfor- table in her independence ever to think of marriage, nor would she consent to be tied down to the ordinary routine of household duties.
 Men cannot get wives in these days. For one young woman who is ready and willing to marry there are half dozen men ready to snap her up, so keen is the competition for the marrying girl. Every man, when he reaches eer- tain age and is in receipt of certain salary, proposes to some woman, and there are now no more exceptions than in former years. All this shrieking about men being backward and refus- ing to wed is the veriest humbug.
 But what can a man doa Obvious ly, he cannot as in primitive days drag woman to the altar, so he must per force settle down to enjoy as best he may bachelor $ existence. And it is not one woman only to whom the av- craze man proposes; in many cases be tries q number of times ere he retires, confused and disgusted at woman $ re- luctance to marry.
 It is the merest claptrap to say that woman in these times is ready to jump at any offer of marriage. She is not. Usually she is extremely par. ticular, and will not think of marriage unless she clearly sees that it will ben eft and better her in every way.
 Still the critics say that men won t marry, that they prefer bachelorhood. Nonsense! Not one man in hundred does that, for frankly almosH every man wants to get married and have a home of his own.
 People who support any movement which aims at the taxing of bachelors cannot have studied the facts Had they done so they would understand that the bachelor is usually bachelor against. his own inclination. Tax men who will not make any effort to get married, if you will, but there would be precious few to tax. Also, tax any woman, who, having received offers of marriage, has refused them all all else being equal. If this were done the public coffers would be swelled with a goodly sum.
 Almost every bachelor is the handi- work of some woman, and doubtless there are plenty of bachelors from forty years upward who would willingly pay taxation rather than marry after the heartless rebuffs they have received from women to whom they have pro posed. Of course, if girl does not fancy any of the men who may propose to her, she has right to refuse them all, but why blame the men then!
 No wonder, widows. especially young ones marry easily. They have not the naughty independent spirit of the self supporting girl, and do not ladle out re- buffs and contemptuous remarks when men come to ask their hands in mar riage, but give them trifie of encour- agement. They are not loath to enter upon second course of matrimony, feeling that they will be provided for and spared the necessity of struggling against the world for an existence. The widow is the bachelors hope and sol ace.
 If bachelors are to be taxed, tax spinsters too, for if the truth be told, they are the great offenders