Life, 1889-02-28 · page 3 of 22
Life — February 28, 1889 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, February 28, 1889: "February Valentines" This satirical page mocks prominent political figures who received Valentine's Day recognition. The text specifically names **Harrison** (President Benjamin Harrison), **James G. Blaine** (Secretary of State), **Sherman** (likely William Tecumseh Sherman), and **Wanamaker** (likely John Wanamaker, Postmaster General). The circular vignettes caricature these men in humorous situations. One panel references **Japan** receiving a "substantial valentine," likely alluding to diplomatic relations. Another mocks **Secretary Whitney** regarding "ambassadors" to foreign courts. The cartoons satirize the vanity of these powerful men by imagining them as recipients of romantic valentines—an absurd contrast to their serious political roles. The satire suggests these politicians were self-important or seeking public adulation during Valentine's season.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VotumeE XIII. FEBRUARY has been an eventful month, but we doubt if all the great men who received recogni- tion on St. Valentine’s Day were equally pleased with these favors. Mr. Harrison, for instance, would hard- ly like to be pictured as a puppet controlled by James G. Blaine; however much the latter statesman might have been pleased as to be represented as Twister-in- Ordinary to the tail of the British lion, It occurs to us, however, that Mr, Blaine was particularly re- spectful in the presence of the royal beast, in its lair, a year or less ago. Mr. Sherman may have been dis- pleased, too, to find that his valentine should repre- sent himas facing both ways, but he might have looked out for that before. * * * SON, > WANSAMAKER perhaps smiled when he saw his big mortgage on the administration, and certainly Secretary Whitney deserved to be pleased with his testimonial.| Does Mr. Plumb, however, still insist upon making “ambassadors” of the Re- publican envoys to foreign courts ? . * # APAN received the most substantial valentine of all, while the two representative's enemies, Bis- * marck and Boulanger, have each a different cause for glee. Perhaps, too, if Mrs. Guelph reflected about her valentine, she congratulated herself that she would be able to control the lion during the re- mainder of her career at all events. yy well be sh. seing comicbooks.com