Life, 1885-04-02 · page 2 of 16
Life — April 2, 1885 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, April 2, 1885 - Political Commentary Page This page contains editorial commentary rather than cartoons. The masthead illustration depicts a surreal landscape with classical and industrial elements—likely symbolic of America's political and economic state. The text discusses President Cleveland's recent diplomatic appointments, praising his choices (including Cincinnati native George H. Pendleton as German envoy). It critiques corporations' inhumane labor practices, referencing the Manhattan Elevated Railroad's order forcing gatemen to work twelve-hour shifts in dangerous cold, resulting in one worker's death from exposure. The final section predicts an England-Russia war and jokes that John Bull (Britain's personification) will finally face an opponent matching his size—a reference to British imperial dominance and Victorian-era geopolitical tensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
APRIL 2p, 1885. 1155 Broapway, New York. Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 0 cents. Back numbers can be had by applying to this office. Vol. I., 50 cents per number ; Vol. II., 25 cents per number; Vols. III. and IV., at regular rates, Rejected contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. Notice is hereby given that no person is authorized to solicit subscriptions or advertisements for this paper without written authority from the publishers. wr One dollar per copy will be paid at this office for Nos. 7 and 10 of Lire. sent by mail. Copies must be in good condition and may be HE appointments made by President Cleveland to our | foreign service last week are most satisfactory. Mr. Phelps, who is to succeed Mr. Lowell at the Court of St. James, is the son of the Mr. Phelps who preceded him as the head of his family. He has never yet held an elective office, but was well-known as the son of his father while a very young man. Additional distinction was conferred upon him later in life by his being the man who was not William Walter Phelps, which was probably one of his strongest re- commendations for the Kent Professorship of Law at Yale. This nomination hasbeen criticised on the ground that Mr. Phelps is not known. But it should be borne in mind that the gentleman is probably as well known in London as any other Democrat would have been, except perhaps Mr. Texas P. Ochiltree, whose renown has been sounded in every capital in Europe. The greatest difficulty Mr. Phelps will meet with will be in filling Mr. Lowell's place, for this latter gentleman has not only proved an honor to his country, but has found a place in the hearts of those with whom he has been thrown. Mr. Lowell has been an Envoy Extraordinary in every sense of the term. * . . HE new Minister to France is Mr. Robert M. McLean, of Maryland. He has not the same lucrative quali- fications for the post that Mr. Morton had, but there were other things to be considered, which brought a great deal of pressure to bear upon the President. Mr. McLean is the only man in the Democratic party who can speak French. . . HE nomination of Mr. George H. Pendleton to the Ger- man Mission is full of deep significance. Mr. Pendleton is a native of Cincinnati. Cincinnati is par excellence the pork-opolis of the nation. There is trouble in store for Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm will yet see the day when the great American ham sand- wich will be the first course at his state banquets. It is perhaps impolitic for Mr. Cleveland to precipitate a crisis by sending Mr. Pendleton to Berlin, and he assumes a grave responsibility in so doing; but we must applaud the independent spirit which prompts the action. The other nominations are of the same high order of excel- lence, and with Dr. Burchard in the Romanoff regions (Russia), John Kelly as Charge d’Affaires in Siberia, and Ben Butler in Patagonia, our foreign service bids fair to be of the very best quality. * . . T isa well-known fact that corporations have no souls, but they should be compelled to evince some humanity. That they are not to have the chance of a life hereafter must be regarded as a matter for congratulation, and we are thankful that in heaven, where everything else is of the highest order, there will at least be no elevated railroads. But the mere fact that death deprives mankind of corpora- tions is no reason why corporations should be allowed to hasten that deprivation. According to the New York Z7mes, the Manhattan Elevated Railroad Company issued an order some weeks ago forbidding its gatemen, under penalty of dismissal, to quit their posts during their hours of duty. The night men are relieved at 7 A.M. and the day men at 7 P.M. Under this order the gate- men were compelled to eat their dinners in the open air and to stand at their posts for twelve hours. If they walked into their stations at a time when their services were not needed at their gates, in order to warm their chilled frames, they were liable to lose their situations. Shortly after this order was issued, a gateman in the employ of this road died from exposure. Comment seems unnecessary. But we can warrant those who are responsible for this con- dition of things that, when they reach their allotted positions in the next world, not one of them will suffer from exposure to the cold! . . + T last Her Impressive Majesty Queen Victoria has been goaded to desperation, and the British soldier has been called to arms. If England and Russia get up a war it will be novel in | one respect. Tt will be the first time John Bull has hit a man of his size in year's, and the result will mar or make England’s future claim to the title of the World's Champion Bull-Dozer. comicbooks.com