Life, 1887-03-03 · page 5 of 16
Life — March 3, 1887 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Let Go My Darfish" This 1887 *Life* magazine page satirizes a diplomatic dispute over fishing rights between the United States and Canada. The cartoon depicts a man (representing either the U.S. or Canada) in a net labeled "Let go my darfish," struggling with what appears to be a large fish or sea creature—likely symbolizing contested fishing territory or rights. The accompanying text references a letter from "the Chum to Potentates" regarding a surplus treasury problem and diplomatic tensions. The caption mentions a tapestry presented to Senator Ingalls "in honor of his gallant defense of the rights of American fishy-men," suggesting the cartoon comments on heated negotiations over Atlantic fishing access—a genuine source of U.S.-Canadian friction during this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WASHINGTON DOTS. HE Chinese Minister in- tends giving a small after- noon tea to a few of his Wash- ington friends and has hired the Ball-Ground for the purpose. . . . Rk. SHERMAN has resigned the President Pro-Tem- ship of the Senate owing to an attack of the Presi- dential fever, which has left him much indisposed. . . . THE following letter from the Chum to Potentates has been received by the President: New York, March 1, 1887. HON. GROVER CL SLAND, President of the United States: Dear Sik,—In your letter to the undersigned, bearing date Feb- ruary 29, 1887, you say: I have devoted no inconsiderable ingredient of my personal desuetude to the problem which now confronts the country with appalling pertinacity in whatsoever direction we may deviate ; the problem, in what manner we shall dispose of the surplus ? | You likewise ask, will I kindly transmit whatever recommendations I may desire to make which may contribute to the disentanglement of this well-nigh indiscerptible bewilderment in which you find yourself established. Recognizing the importance of the situation, my dear Mr. Pres- ident, I seize my pen with what would seem, were the circumstances less exigent, almost pernicious agility to reply to your communication. In the whole course of my career as the friend and counsellor to crowned and uncrowned heads such a question has never been sub- mitted to me, It has frequently been asked, how shall I obtain a surplus? but no Potentate of my acquaintance has ever suffered from fatty degeneration of the treasury. It has therefore required con- siderable mental activity on my part to reach any conclusion which. I could conscientiously submit to your official scrutiny. One solution has suggested itself to my mind, however, which would materially diminish the perplexities of your situation. It is that you apply the $100,000,000 which the Republican party has left in the Treasury for no other purpose than to add to the vexation and embarrassment of a Democratic executive, to a subscription to Lire, for 20,000,000 years. There is an old adage that Father Time should be taken by the forelock, and among newspaper men you are probably aware there is an impression that there is no time like the present for | securing your paper and avoiding such a rush as is liable at any time to set in; and, after all, twenty million years is only two hundred thousand centuries, and what is a century to the true American? The time will be up before you know it. I enclose a stamped and directed envelope for the return of my suggestion if it be found unavailable, The suggestion will be submitted to the Cabinet next week, when it is expected it will be adopted. “try ray Godfish’ ya ‘TAPESTRY RECENTLY PRESENTED TO SENATOR INGALLS BY HIS FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS IN THE AMERICAN CoLony IN CANava, IN HONOR OF HIS GALLANT DEFENSE OF THE RIGHTS OF AMERICAN FISHY-M' comicb ooks.com