Life, 1893-08-24 · page 13 of 16
Life — August 24, 1893 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire Analysis This page satirizes American populist and Western political movements of the late 19th/early 20th century. The mock "declaration" by C.W. Lucas ridicules Western politicians and agitators who made inflammatory speeches ("wild and windy Freemen") and generated excessive noise and bluster without substance. The declarations parody populist rhetoric: establishing "National Depositories for Wind" mocks politicians' empty promises, while attacking "Cash Bugs of the East" and "Money Microbes" references populist anger at Eastern financial interests and banking establishments. The cartoon figures appear to be caricatured Western politicians or agitators engaged in exaggerated posturing and combat. The bottom illustrations, unrelated to the political satire, show domestic humor about in-laws and matchmaking. The overall point: Western political movements were all noise and bluster lacking substance or viable solutions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- 125 the wild and windy Freemen of the West the right of Wading —Yea—Wading in Blood, if they can not Swim; and Whereas, the Hat is a useful instrument for helping the organs of speech; and Whereas, We can make More Noise than any other com- bination on earth, Therefore, in view of all these facts, we declare— First—National Depositories for the free and unlimited Storage of Wind shall be everywhere established. Second —Agai such deposits free and unlimited Wind Certificates shall be issued at par and delivered to the people on demand. Third —Such certificates shall be legal tender all over the World, except for debts due TO members of the American Wind League. Fourth.—We denounce the Cash Bugs of the East and the ever fat- tening Money Microbes of the Old World. Fifth.—We de- mand a cheap and speedy transportation to Hades of all our adversaries. Cc. W. Lucas. ‘HE CAN'T GET ALONG WITH HIS WIFE'S MOTHER.” THE NEXT TIME BIRDIE WILL KNOW BETTER THAN TO INSULT “Wuy ? HEARD HER BOAS” HAVING MADE UP THE MATCH.” ONE OF THE RAMESES FAMILY.” “WELL, THAT'S IT,LYOU SE comicbooks.com