Life, 1896-01-09 · page 4 of 20
Life — January 9, 1896 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire from Life Magazine, January 9, 1896 This page critiques President Cleveland's handling of the Venezuela boundary dispute with Britain. The left cartoon depicts a "War Drum" labeled with financial terms, satirizing critics who claimed Cleveland manufactured the crisis for political gain or stock-market manipulation. The right cartoon shows figures (likely Cleveland's supporters Dana, Chandler, and Lodge) rallying behind his war message, with a reference to the "Philistines" celebrating at a temple—mocking their fervent support. The editorial argues Cleveland acted appropriately, defending him against accusations of unnecessary bellicosity while urging Americans to focus on domestic concerns: currency reform, treasury management, and social welfare rather than jingoistic war sentiment.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: “OWHile there io Life there's Hope.” VOL, XXVIL. JANUARY 9, 1896. 1g West Tuirty-First STREET, New Yorx. No. 680, Published every Thursday. $s.00a yearin advance. Postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.0 a year extra. Single copies, 10 cents. Rejected contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope, OLKS who think that the President shook an unnecessary amount of pepper into his Venezuelan message have been uncommonly free in wondering why he did it. Some of them have put forward the ex- traordinary hypothesis that he wanted to make money on the fall in stocks; a good many have be- lieved that he was after a third | term, and had domestic politics much more in his mind than foreign ones. Others have brought out other theories which it is unnecessary to record. LIFE believes in none of them. The stock-gambling suggestion is, of course, too insanely extravagant to discuss. The imputation of “ politics" is not so incredible, because no im- portant act of the President could fail to have a bearing on the political situation whether he intended it so or not. For Lire’: part, having observed Mr. Cleveland pretty closely for a dozen years past, it can much easier believe him capable of a lapse of temper, or of manners, or of diplomatic discretion, than of a defect in patriotism or probity. Those of his former backers who are talking about his moral turpitude and decrying him as a schemer and an unscrupulous alarmist, are overdoing their job. Neither he nor Mr. Olney deserve such abuse, and their critics should remember that it is possible to differ with a statesman on a question of policy without necessarily believing him to be a rogue. . . . . E are altogether too free to abuse our public men, and in par- ticular we are much too ready to impute measures affecting our foreign policy to considera- tions of domestic politics. We have done it so much that we have gradually taught all foreigners, and our British cousins especially, to believe that every important step which any American President takes in foreign affairs is taken to catch votes at home. This is by no means a safe belief for our neighbors to rest in or for us to encourage. In the present case LIFE believes that the President's language to Congress about the Venezuela boundary was more bellicose than the necessities of the case demanded. It believes that the widespread and urgent desire for a peaceful settlement of the dispute which has since found expression both in England and America has been of im- mense value, and will help on such a settlement as both countries desire. But it does not believe that either the President or Mr. Olney have been lacking in patriotism, or will fail to deserve and receive the support of the American people in their further conduct of our foreign affairs. HE way the President's enemies rallied to the support of his war message was surprising to witness. Mr. Dana, Mr. Chandler, Mr. Lodge, and all Tammany were with him as one man. Not since the Philistines took a holiday and gathered around Samson in Dagon’s temple has a strong man made so much sport for such a congregation of : his bitter foes. Lire doesn’t expect to see Dagon’s roof come. down on either Mr. Cleveland or his new friends, but it will be due to other discretion than that of the Philistine Jingoes that nothing drops on them. Samson was permanently blind and had nothing but vengeance to live for. With Mr. Cleveland it is different. . . . ND now, brethren, let us think of other things than Jingoes and war scares. The new year is under way and there is lots todo. There is Congress to watch and see what it is willing to do to fill up the national treasury, and put the gold reserve and the currency on a safe ba: and there is money to make and to spend, food and clothes and shelter and education to be provided for families, balls to go to, shows to sce, dinners to be eaten, speeches to be made, all the ding-dong business of life to be transacted just as usual. Let us leave the care of the Venezuela boundary to Mr. Cleveland's commission (which is sure to be a good one, though at this writing its membership has not transpired) and hope confidently for a peaceful and honorable issue to all international perplexities, and cease to worry and go strenuously about our business. A Happy New Year, some- what belated but never so cordial and sincere, to all LIFE’s friends and readers. Let us to our tasks and our pleasures with a confident hope of clearing skies, and gales favorable to our peaceful progress. comicbooks.com