Life, 1894-08-30 · page 11 of 16
Life — August 30, 1894 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis: Life Magazine, Page 139 The page contains a debate about American politics and voting. The upper cartoon shows a "Professor" attempting to civilize an "intelligent subject"—a satirical commentary on the difficulty of improving civic engagement. Below, the dialogue mocks voter apathy and political cynicism. A character argues that politicians control the country regardless of public effort, that voting for honest candidates is futile, and that Americans are "too lazy" to reform government. The left cartoon depicts Uncle Sam as "A THING THAT NEEDS REFORMING"—suggesting the American political system itself requires fundamental change. The satire targets both voter cynicism and systemic corruption, arguing that Americans' passivity enables politicians to perpetuate dishonesty and self-interest rather than serve the public good. The piece advocates for active civic participation despite perceived futility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AND DISPLAYS A WONDERFUL TALENT FOR MIMICRY, no one but those of us who are shiftless or envious. Why is this so?” “Tt isn’t so just yet. Mr. Cleveland may veto the bill and give you a chance to think better of your Constitution, which provides his veto power for just this emergency. If, however, with a view to expediency, to the temporary general good, he should permit the bill to become law, there are only about four thousand reasons for the state of affairs you lament.” “ Tell us one of them.” “First, that you, the American people, are just what you suspected—a fool.” “That seems reason enough, if you can prove it.” “It’s too easy. The Constitution you have will give you any sort of a government you want, but you are too lazy or too busy grabbing money to take the trouble to elect honest men. You are depreciating the power of your own vote by giving it to every ignorant or pur- chasable foreigner who lands on your shores. You buy, read and are led by lying newspapers rather than those that dare tell you the truth. You——” “ Hold on; that’s enough. Butwe don’t elect men to office. We have a chance to vote only for the men the parties nominate.” “That's where you are another fool. Party slavery exists only through your own folly, Cast aside its —— Sh OD chains and join every independent move- ment that looks to better government.” A THING THAT NEEDS REFORMING, 139 WHEREUPON THE PROFESSOR DECIDES TO TAKE THE INTELLI- GENT SUBJECT BACK WITH HIM TO CIVILIZATION, “That doesn’t do any good. The politicians run this country and we haven't a chance.” “Don't you believe it. The politician wins because he is persistent. If he is whipped once he doesn’t lie down and whine about it, but makes it his business not to be whipped nexttime. He seems not to care about yon, but you are the only thing he is really afraid of. Get up, be a patriot, do some work for your country besides paying taxes.” “But we've tried this before and things are worse now than ever. It takes too much time and trouble to keep down men who make politics their business.” “Very well. You wanted to talk to us about the scrape you're in and we've talked with you. If you haven't the sense and the nerve to right matters it's your own fault. If you want a silly tariff which taxes the many for the benefit of the few, if you want highway robbery in the form of an income tax, if you enjoy seeing a lot of stock gamblers running the United States Senate, if you will send fools to Congress, no one denies your constitutional right to have things that way. But don’t kick when you get the worst of it. You may be a fool, but don’t whimper. Even a diminutive-brained rooster dies game, you know.” Metcalfe. IT PROVED NOTHING. ILLIS: I never can get an Englishman to laugh at my jokes. WALLACE: But that’s no sign there is any point in them, KIPPER: Anything the matter, old man? His Gue: N-no, nothing much, only —— SKIPPER: Only what, old fellow? His Guest: Only you call sailing a science, and it seems to me if it were a science your confounded old boat would keep straight. | i] ECOMICDOOKS-com