Life, 1896-03-12 · page 17 of 20
Life — March 12, 1896 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a father and son, with the boy asking his father to define "political economy." The father's cynical answer—that it's when a candidate runs for office "on the same ticket with a millionaire who pays all expenses"—satirizes American electoral corruption of the era. The joke targets the practice of wealthy industrialists bankrolling political candidates, effectively purchasing political power. The father's matter-of-fact explanation to his innocent son suggests this corrupt arrangement was so openly accepted it could be explained as simply as a definition of economics. This reflects Progressive Era concerns (likely early 1900s) about the influence of big money on politics and democracy. The surrounding advertisements—for bicycles, champagne, patent medicines, and food products—are incidental; the page's real content is this sardonic commentary on how millionaires controlled American politics through campaign financing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
me SS YOU can't tell a balky horse by his looks and you're just as likely to be deceived ina bicycle. There's no better guide when buying a wheel than this famous name— |Monarch It identifies the king of wheels—it's a guarantee of strength, speed and re- liability, A name that you can proudly point out to your friends. 4 models, $85 and $100, fully teed. For ebil- deg and delta Defiead tor Menara Bead Monarch Cycle Mfg. Co. YELLOW LABEL"SEC’ GOLD LABEL "BRUT: THE STANDARD OF FINE CHAMPAGNES. HOW TO MAKE ADIPO-MALENE. LE MARSH & CO, Madison Sq, Philadephia, Pa. Blair's Pills Great English Remedy for ;SOUT and RHEUMATISM. SAPE, SURE, EFFECTIVE. Drogeiste, or 224 William St, New York.’ “Say, PA, WHAT IS POLITICAL ECONOMY 2?” “*POLITICAL ECONOMY, MY SON, IS WHERE A MAN RUNS FOR OFFICE ON THE SAME TICKET WITH A MILLIONAIRE WHO. PAYS ALL EXPENSES.” H EA DAC H E cautoed By Stontact Trouble Speedily cured by Bromo-=Seltzer ™53” TITUTING HIGHEST AWARD MUNICH | TERNATIONAL LELED VICTORY IN THE EWING. iN VERY HOME OF 88! Pabst...... Malt Extract The “Best” Tonic Rounds the body, and fills the hollows F till ._UITHEARTOF BREWING WAS ‘Ss VDEVELOPED BY THE GERMANS Rae's Lucca Oil The Perfection of Olive Oil TT Your physician will tell you that Olive Oil, pure and sweet, is one of the most wholesome of foods. Rae's Oil is pure and sweet, aS testified to by numerous awards and wide repute. A trial will convince you of its superior excellence as a food product. Guaranteed Absolutely Pure by S. RAE & CO., i Established 1836. Leghorn, Italy. comicbooks.com