Life, 1886-01-28 · page 11 of 16
Life — January 28, 1886 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 67: Political Satire and Social Commentary This page from *Life* magazine contains several brief satirical pieces mocking contemporary political figures and social trends: **"Bismarck and Otherwise"** opens with mockery of Spain's Infanta Mercedes, suggesting the Queen Regent speaks to her in infantilized language. The piece then jokes about Prince Bismarck receiving a luxury railroad carriage in Germany, contrasting it with American statesmen who simply carry pocket-flasks—a dig at American political corruption and drinking culture. Other quips target: John Russell Young's comparison of Bismarck to General Ben Butler (unflattering to both); French Agriculture Commissioner Deville (who allegedly never saw a plow); and proposals to send Mormon Utah to help Britain's surplus female population. **"Two Brutes"** is a political cartoon juxtaposing an elephant (likely representing the Republican Party or a political figure) with a turtle, asking "Which is the Beast?"—likely commentary on animal behavior versus political conduct. The remaining pieces satirize changing speech patterns ("cotilion" instead of "German"), Governor Hill's gymnastics obsession, and revival meetings tied to economic conditions. The humor targets politicians, social pretension, and hypocrisy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BISMARCK AND OTHERWISE. HE Infanta Mercedes of Spain is said not to understand the death of her father. If the Queen Regent pursues the usual methods of con- veying information to babie§ we are not surprised. A dog for the baby is a bow-wow ; Father is “ze baby baba;” stomach is “tum tum,” and teeth are “ toozy toocies.” Now if the Queen Regent tells the baby Infant in attic Spanish that “ Baba King King gone up a Heabentown,” what wonder is it that the brain of the poor little creature is. | overweighted a . . . RINCE BISMARCK has been presented with a saloon carriage in which he travels free of expense on every railroad in Germany. This shows how much more simple are the methods of America. Our statesmen travel free on all the railroads | without having to carry saloons with them. The pocket- flask is just as efficacious and a great deal easier to switch. . . . OHN RUSSELL YOUNG says that Bismarck and Ben. Butler look alike. That ‘s pretty rough on Butler and Bismarck! DEVILLE, the new French Commissioner of Agri- | ¢ culture, never saw a plow. This seems strange when we reflect that many people im- agine the steam plow to be the invention of the Deville. ROM London 7;-«¢h we learn that there are in Great Britain 948,000 more women than men. There is only one way out of this, and that is for Mr. Salisbury to disestablish the English Church and supplant it with Mormonism. We might send Utah over to the Queen to help along. . . . R. LOWE says in his life of Prince Bismarck that the great German once thought of coming to the United | States. He also recalls the fact that Cromwell entertained the same idea once. There's history for you! This idea of Cromwell’s must | have been greatly entertained. Beas says that beer stupefies and besots. Bismarck had better take care how he maligns the national beverage, or he will besot on. COTILION, Y' KNOW. HAPPY calls it “cotilion” now. He doesn’t say “Ger- man” any more, for it isn’t English, you know. If you speak of the “German,” Chappy does n't know what you mean. Chappy’s head never was abnormally large, and now it seems to be shrinking. OUR ACROBATIC GOVERNOR. OVERNOR HILL is a firm believer in gymnastics. The Governor has shown many of the peculiarities of the Political Acrobat in. the course of his. distressingly long public life. SEASONABLE PHILOSOPHY. OW pleasant ‘tis to take a walk, And pleasanter our cosey talk, Together. ‘T is hard, though, and a shock to pride, To strike an urchin’s private slide, And on one’s back serenely glide. And whether ‘T were not best to stop at home, Is a problem to be solved alone, I'd rather. D. W.H. A FAVORABLE CONDITION. VANGELIST : “ What are the pros- pects in this city for a series of revival meetings? Do you think I would meet with success?” Citizen : “ Yes, I think you would do well. Money is easier with us than it has been for some time.” TWO BRUTES. WHICH IS THE BEAST? comicbooks.com