Life, 1896-11-12 · page 3 of 18
Life — November 12, 1896 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Sanctum Talks" - Life Magazine Satirical Dialogue This page contains two satirical dialogues from Life magazine's "Sanctum Talks" feature. The left illustration shows a child at a desk speaking with an adult man (labeled "Pulitzer"), likely referring to Joseph Pulitzer, the prominent newspaper publisher. The dialogue mocks the man's self-importance and moral hypocrisy—he criticizes the child's "circulation" and character while claiming newspapers elevate society, though he himself profits from sensationalism and "crimes against decency." The right section, "A Foreground Conclusion," appears to reference McKinley's election and includes a separate anecdote about someone named Tillinghast who worked his way up from selling newspapers to becoming a railroad official. The satire targets wealthy publishers' sanctimonious attitudes toward morality and progress.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XXVIII ° L | k K ° NUMBER 724 SANCTUM TALKS. “ ELL, Pulitzer?” “Vell, Lire, I come in to see you.” ** About what?” ‘About myselluf, ain’t it? You don’t seem to like me—ch? **No, Joseph, I'm not in love with your peculiar personality, No nearer, please. Your methods, you know, are not altogether what decent people—' ‘But my cirgulation! hein?” ‘The circulation of blood is something like it. Red, you know. Have you ever thought, Joseph, what your relation to respectability might be termed?” Vot is dot?” ‘ou might be called a rank outsider. you—" “Ah, but my cirgulation!" ‘*The same thing might be said of the devil himself. He claims a great deal. Have you no thought, Joseph, of the homes you have desolated, of the revolting crimes against decency you have committed, of the dishonor—" “Vot is dot? Is dhere anyting like it— Very rank, “I see it’s no use, Joseph. Purely a waste of time. But you came in to know why I don’t like you?.” “Yes.” “You will never know, Joseph. that way. Your perception is—" “Ah, but my cirgulation!’ Good morning, Pulitzer. You are not Don't come again.” A FOREGONE CONCLUSION. se WERE you surprised at McKinley's election “‘No. I thought Mark would get there.” AT THE VERY TOP. “ ES, sir. Twenty years ago Tillinghast began as a train boy, selling newspapers and candy, but he gradually worked up until now he is at the top of the railroad ladder.” “What railway is he receiver of ?” comicbooks.com