Judge, 1902-01-04 · page 16 of 20
Judge — January 4, 1902 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical dialogue personifies a **Trust** (a large monopolistic corporation) confronting an **Altruistic Scheme** (likely a utopian reform proposal published in a popular magazine). The Trust argues its superiority through ruthless logic: it is "composed of the ideas of many men" and strengthened by "predestination," while the Scheme is merely one man's ideal, weakened by "free will." The Trust cynically claims it actually benefits workers by maintaining struggle and "moral muscle"—that removing hardship would harm them. The Scheme, appealing to beauty and idealism, cannot withstand the Trust's mockery. When "realistic critics" arrive, they destroy the Scheme utterly, then demand the Trust's workers simply accept conditions "or get off the earth." The satire targets both progressive reformers (naive and ineffectual) and capitalist monopolies (amoral and all-powerful). It suggests early-1900s labor disputes where reform movements proved powerless against entrenched corporate power.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: es AN IMAGINARY CONVERSATION. Yusuries s SSeason By Peter McArthur, 5 ‘TRUST that was idle because of a strike among its employés met an altruistic scheme that had just appeared serially in a popular magazine, or, to speak more correctly, in a magazine published at a popular price. The |scheme would have ignored the trust, but the monster calmly blocked the | its puny cnemy with comprehensive + Your object in life is to do me up, ain't it? oe way, while it regarde silain, the trust finally inquired. Being accustomed to choosing its words with meticulous nicety, the scheme writhed at this bluff remark and merel; + Well, let us sit down and talk it all ove head of sugar on end and seated itse The scheme perched itself ging ple copies.” nodded assent. vid the trust as it set a hogs- erly on a pile of magazines marked “ sam- said the trust, “let us get down to business. What are you, any way?” “Tam an id id the scheme with a wan smile. “And Lama said the trust. “T would do men good.” U 22.Warren 8! NY. INEST SELECTION Gunrts Boxcomes | KINAHAN’S or LL IRISH. WHISKY. ss Well, don’t I do them good, with the accent on the do" ?” The scheme writhed ind the trust Jaughed a laugh that was at| once metallic and oily and not good to hear. “But, all joking aside ter with you, You are ideas of many men. aid the trust, let me tell you what is the mat- mply one man’s ideal, while | am composed of the You try to start in life as a cause, while Lam a result. {You are wobbly with free will, while I am strong with the logical force of predestination, [have been evolved from conditions, while you have been evolved from the brain of a man who was inspired by either vanity or senti- mentality.” But would you be if you had the power, You overlook the fact that man is mostly a beast and would make him live with the purity of an angel. OF course you would not be cruel enough to cut off a man’s head, but you would | $ Scorcn cut off his body, with its foolish desires, and [can’t see as that would improve * |his case any. Besides, by doing away with the strug; life, you would ELVERNESS |do away with all moral muscle. Now, the man who can stand up and take & a fall out of me amounts to something, and I may say right here that all men | O¥# OLDEST & FINEST with blood in their veins want to stand in with me, while no one wants to be | Scorcu Wiisky. bothered with you.” ~ Dw RYE DuVivier & Cany 1043 Marquette Building. 1424 E St. N. 47 St. John St. AUX. THE CREAM Sererrrrrrrrrtttttirt tet ee U the best will be you. giv Vr evesvessseseereee pu are cruel.” of hospitality and the tonic of health und by jobbers Raltimore, Sold at all Gint.class WM. TANAHAN'S SOS PIISIISTIFSTIVIV TGS “Man always wants what he hasn't, a fails to appreciate what he has.” “But Lam more artistically beautiful than you are,” said the scheme Ves; that’s what keeps tl , bureaus and the divorce courts with a touch of vanity. ‘one Fast “Even that is debatable,” said the trust, “as you will soon know, for I) ~ a gang of realistic critics coming down the street.” he altruistic scheme started like a guilty and hunted thing, but be it could escape the critics had torn it to pieces. ‘Then they turned their atte tion to the trust, only to be met by an ultimatum stating that they must work | for it or get off the earth, Having adjusted this matter, the trust resumed its task of taking up as much of the white, yellow, red and black man’s bur- | You wil | den as appealed to it, | oy somite moRFHise:s pRCG! LU by rela, i) rere Pies remedy tnt fr gente FREE TRIAL senting Sind'and sanity of drug used. Confidential, Aad, 23 Peres Bi. Cleo TLL, BRANCHES: “* Music, that softlier on the se A New Series of Water-Color IF YOU are looking for a piano of the highest grade, we invite you to test one of ours. We invite comparison with any other make of piano, not excepting any. We invite inspection of our plant and methods of construction. If you desire a first- Kis act WAREROOMS : 235-237 E, 23d Street and 16 W. 125th Street, NEW YORK class piano, the your considera spirit lies Than tired eyelids on tired eyes.”” each PIANOS is entitled to tion. JUDGE COMPAN 110 FIFTH AVENU Proofs of Drawings of the tasci- nating “ Stanlaws Gir.” « « -» The series consists of six of the newest and best examples of Stanlaws’ work, beautifully print- ed in colors. The size of each picture, handsomely mounted, is 12x19 inchs, ee me ew THE PRICE OF THE SMARTEST GIRL SERIES 1S $3.00 PER SET «THE STANLAWS GIRL n flurry of peach comicbooks.com NEW YORK