Life, 1896-10-15 · page 11 of 18
Life — October 15, 1896 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Heavenly Messenger" - Analysis The illustration depicts a bearded, saint-like figure with a halo, labeled "The Heavenly Messenger." Based on the adjacent text column titled "AT SIXTEEN TO ONE," this appears to be political satire about monetary policy during America's free silver debate (late 1890s). The figure likely represents either Free Silver advocates or a specific political leader promoting the 16-to-1 silver-to-gold ratio. The "heavenly messenger" framing is ironic—suggesting supporters viewed this as salvation, while the satirist mocks it as false religious promise. The accompanying poem by Tom Mason criticizes Free Silver economics, arguing it would cause inflation and financial chaos. The satire conflates monetary policy with religious fanaticism, suggesting Free Silver believers had unrealistic, almost cultish faith in the policy's benefits.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE; 289 the remarks of his neighbors may make him feel like thrashing some one, but he can’t, because her sex protects the only person deserving chastisement. His only possible revenge is not to take her to the theatre again, and even this is almost impossible if she happens to be his wife. But the man who would marry such a woman deserves his punishment. Metcalfe. [[Rrcnans anotnson UNSELFISH. A SMALL. boy belonging to a family of five came into the house one day with five stones, which he cheerfully explained were to be tomb-stones for each member of the family. Later his little sister, counting them, said: ‘* Here is a tomb-stone for father dear! Here is one for mother! Here is brother's! Here isthe baby's; but there is none here for Katie, the nurse.” Then she quickly added, “Oh! well, never mind; Katie can have mine, and /'// live!" AT SIXTEEN TO ONE. E'LL all admit, for argument, that Uncle Sam is sick; He cannot yet assimilate; he hasn't learned the trick. 'Tis said that he has plutocratic fever of the brain; It's not at all improbable he has a growing pa The saccharine components of his system, possibly, May not in due proportions be just what they ought to be. Congressional sciatica has vexed him much of late; Of tuberculosis tariff he has suffered, I might state. But what I seek to know is, Will Free Silver charm away The divers complications that he’s troubled with to-day ? If to-morrow he should take it, will the next day he be cured Of the aggravated ailments which so long he has endured? We all belong to Uncle Sam, and when he takes a dose, Our subsequent condition to his own is mighty close; In consequence it's just as well to watch with eagle cye The rabbit’s-foot prescription it’s proposed that he shall try. If, when we have Free Silver, you are fortunate enough To own one thousand dollars of the good, hard, yellow stuff, And get for it two thousand Silver dollars in return, 'Twould seem as if thereafter you'd have cash enough to burn. And yet—sure fact!—you'd quickly learn the price of things you buy Had mounted in the interim to figures twice as high. And so instead of gaining, you would find the time you spent Had cost you double interest on cash you might have lent. And now suppose you haven't got a red cent, if you please F You can’t pick Silver dollars from the bushes or the trees. ni oat You must have something to exchange. ‘Tis plain, without | hi advice yi ii) ee ii) Hi li d y } And as the world’s divided into just two kind of folk— HA wl Hep = The fellows who have money and the fellows who are broke— I cannot see, with Silver Free, just where we're coming in’ THE HEAVENLY MESSENGER. We might as well have copper or the cheapest kind of tin. You surely cannot buy them if you haven't got the price. Tom Masson. comicbooks.com