Life, 1891-04-09 · page 8 of 14
Life — April 9, 1891 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 224 This page contains satirical office rules presented as "The Ideal Newspaper." The humor targets newspaper publishing practices of the era, likely early 1900s based on the style. The main illustration shows what appears to be a fashionable woman in fur coat speaking with men in an office setting, captioning a dialogue about church prayers "for those at sea" and the Puffingtons family. The text provides mock "rules" governing editors, compositors, and reporters—satirizing workplace hierarchies and class divisions. Notable satirical points include: provisions for "colored servants in livery," editors' political alignment expectations (Republican or Democratic), and perks like champagne sandwiches. The joke targets newspaper industry pretensions, labor conditions, and the arbitrary authority of proprietors over employees. The rules present actual workplace absurdities as formal policy, creating comedic effect through exaggeration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
224 A CORSAGE BOUQUET. YRTILLA to-night Wears Jacqueminot roses, She's the loveliest sight! Myrtilla to-night :—,_ Correspondingly light My pocket-book closes— Myrtilla to-night Wears Jacqueminot roses. C. H, Liiders. THE IDEAL NEWSPAPER. TH publishing of newspapers is be- coming a popular pastime with millionaires, and in at least one news- paper office in New York, are posted up the following office rules : EDITORS. 1, Editors are expected to work from twelve to half-past, every other Wednesday. 2. Noeditor is expected to write contrary to his convictions, Republican editors will write Republican editorials; Democrats, Democratic editorials, and Mugwumps may alternate as frequently as they please. 3. Editors who prefer to work in their shirt- sleeves will please wear the silk-embroidered sus- penders provided by the office. 4. Each editor will be provided with a skilled type-writer and stenographer, blonde or brunette, as may be preferred. 5. Editors are expected to be uniformly polite and courteous to the office boy. 6. Colored servants in livery will be provided to save editors the manual labor of placing re- jected manuscript in the waste-paper basket. 7. Editors will please not swear at the proof- reader. A professional blasphemer from the Bowery has been engaged for this purpose. 8. The paste will be scented with heliotrope, violet or ylang-ylang, as may be desired, COMPOSITORS. She: FoR? He: For 1 1, It is expected that each compositor will be She: a member of at least four labor unions, 2, The rates of pay will be increased as often as desired, 3. The hours of labor will be diminished every week. REPORTERS. 1. Each reporter will be provided with a brougham upholstered in blue satin. 2, The proprietors will always be glad to receive advice from the reporters with regard to the policy of the paper. 3 Terrapin and canvas-back duck will not be served at reporters’ desks after 4 a... Champagne and fatd-de.foie-gras sandwiches may be ordered at all hours. 4. Reporters will not be permitted to accept free tickets to places of amusement. ‘The office will provide as many tickets as reporters may wish for themselves, their friends or relatives, Boxes at the opera must be applied for three days in advance. I THOUGHT so! HAS TO STAY AT HOME KNOW WHERE THEY'VE GONE ! HIN ‘THE PRAYERS AT CHURCH TO-DaY “FOR THOSE AT SEA"; WHOM WERE THEY It’s ONLY THEIR NASTY WAY OF LETTING EVERYBODY THAT 5. Allexpense accounts will be paid without question. 6. Reporters will not be expected to appear in evening dress before 6. M.; after that hour it will be obligatory. 7. Any reporter who does not care to work on an assignment will please notify the city editor with reasonable promptness, so that it may be given to some one else. GENERAL RUL! 1, Salaries will be increased the first and fifteenth of every month. 2. Any employee wishing to borrow money will be cheerfully accom- modated by applying at the business office. 3. Any employee who is not satisfied with the brand of cigars sup- plied by the office will oblige the proprietors by complaining. All employees are entitled to ten months’ vacation each year. > comicbooks.com