Life, 1896-08-27 · page 12 of 18
Life — August 27, 1896 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Uncle Harry's Letter Box: Political Satire Through Children's Letters This page satirizes prominent American political figures of the 1890s by presenting fake letters from "children" who are actually thinly-veiled caricatures of real politicians. **The letters mock:** - **"Willie Bryan"** — William Jennings Bryan, Democratic politician and "Coin's Financial School" advocate, depicted as a boy with pet animals and presidential ambitions - **"Govvy Altgeldt"** — Governor John Peter Altgeld of Illinois, characterized as an anarchist wanting to redistribute wealth - **"Willie McKinly"** — William McKinley, future president, described as vain (comparing himself to Napoleon), influenced by his adviser Mark Hanna ("tutor"), and disinterested in intellectual matters The humor works by having these figures speak through childish voices, making them appear naive, foolish, or dangerous. The satire criticizes their economic policies, anarchist sympathies, and vanity. The cartoon at bottom, "The Goat," likely relates to these political figures as well, though its specific meaning is unclear without additional context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
160 long line of ambulances, with their freight of victims, will make him glad that he is here. At this season of the year the weather in New York is quite variable, and our A DROP OF CROTON WATER SEEN UNDER THE MICROSCOPE. prudent visitor will provide himself with ample clothing before his arrival. A fur-lined overcoat, buffalo ear-muffs, asbestos underclothing and a mosquito bar make a very appropriate outfit. NECESSARILY SO. “LARA: Isn't your love for him very sudden? Maupe: Well, his aunt died very suddenly. *LIFE: UNCLE HARRY’S LETTER BOX. (Uncle Harry is always pleased to hear from his little friends, but they should remember to write with ink, and on one side of the paper.) AR UNCLE HARRY: ‘Tama little boy of four years and [ live in Lincoln, Ne- braska. I like to live in Lincoln, but I hke Washington better. I would like to live there. I would not like to live in New York. I visited my uncle Steen John there not long ago, but it was so frosty I did not have a good time. My favorite books are *Coin’s Financial School’ and ‘ The Life of Demosthenes.’ I like to speak in school. I can say a piece with a silver dollar in my mouth. I have two pets, a donkey and a billy-goat. I call the donkey ‘Denis’ and the billy-goat ‘Popo.’ I am teaching them to haul me in my cart. My cart is made out of a soap box. Artie Sewall made it. No more at present. From your little friend, “WILLIE Bryan. “P. S.—Teacher says, if 1am a good boy, I may be president some day. Wouldn't that be nice—for me? “WB.” (CT EAR UNCLE HARRY: “Tread all of my letters you print in the ‘Letter Box.’ Iam only five years old. I THE GOAT. own the State of Illinois, In a little while I am going to own the United States, I think the great- est men alive are Louise Michael and Mary J. Lease. I had a little pet lamb that I called Dicky Bland, but he died in Chicago. When I grow up I want to be an anarchist. An anarchist isa man who takes all the money away from other men, but they don’t take any away from him. Yours, “*Govvy! ALTGELDT.” “(EAR UNCLE HARRY “Lama little boy. I live in Canton, Ohio. There is a Canton in China, too. Everybody says I look like Napoleon, but I think Napoleon looks’ like me. I admire General Grant and the Sphinx because they did not say much. Sometimes I like to talk and sometimes I don't. I like to talk about the tariff but I do not think finance is a nice thing to talk about, do you? I havea private tutor; his name is Hanna; I like him, I have a little trained elephant. Tutor Hanna got him for me. I do not like to read about the battle of Waterloo. “Witte McKiny FROM LIFE'S RECENT DISCOVERIES OF EARLY EGYPTIAN JOKE: comicbooks.com or ae