Life, 1897-09-16 · page 9 of 20
Life — September 16, 1897 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "High Way Robbery" Cartoon Analysis This cartoon depicts two figures suspended by mechanical flying contraptions labeled as "airships," dropping money into a collection basket below. The caption "HIGH WAY ROBBERY" is a pun—literally "high" way (in the sky) rather than traditional highway robbery. The satire criticizes wealthy American businessmen (likely railroad presidents, bankers, and capitalists mentioned in the adjacent text) as thieves who extract money from the public while appearing respectable. The absurd flying machines suggest the audacity and implausibility of their schemes. The accompanying text mocks these men's pretensions to respectability despite their predatory financial practices, critiquing how American industrial magnates of this era accumulated wealth through questionable means while maintaining public respectability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
229 gar, are a railroad president in Cali- fornia, a banker or a capitalist in New York, and a pork packer in Chicago. You never hail from any other places than these. Your weak point is a foreign nobleman who is at the end of a dissipated career, and you are always settling on him vast sums of money, and gaily sacrificing your daughter upon him. Now, my dear sir, it is thus as the typical American father that you are held up to the nations of the earth, and you and T both know that nothing could be more unjust or untrue, We have passed many pleasant hours together in every city and State in the Union, and though my observation of mankind has been somewhat below the surface of things, I have never yet found you to approach even remotely to this idea. You do not always wear a frock coat; you are not always fat, but are of all sizes and shapes. You are invariably one of your family, and recognized as such. You love your daughters, and they in their turn love, honor and respect you. If they choose to get married you do not interpose your objections, or treat the young fellows they have honored with anything but consideration. You are aware that the average American young man whom your girls meet is not likely to ask your assistance, and is fairly certain to know where he stands; and you know that the girls, on their part, can be relied upon to pick out the right sort. When you give your daughter away you feel that a part of your heart has gone with her, and there is a tear in your eye which you hastily brush away, not wishing to mar her happiness on the best day of her life. Afterward, if it has all been a mistake, her quietly and without ostentation. YN AR te HIGH WAY ROBBERY. Some Private Corres; Ce. M Y DEAR “PAPA” LVL rhisterm, applied to you by one or more daughters, has come to be sig- nificant of so much ¢ is false, that it is befitting at this present time that I should offer you my sympathy, and en- deavor to be of what assistance I can in setting you right be- fore the world. You are generally con- sidered by the public at large, who read the comic joke crypts, to be a man of great your physical strength, with the manners, if I may so express myself, of a refined prize-fighter. You are invariably at the head of a large business which you have no time to attend to, because of the immense stream of suitors for your daughter's hand who continually engage your attention; and when you do not happen to be in your private office you are at home, occupied in kicking those puling individuals down stairs, or laying in wait for them with a ferocious bull- dog. Your shoes resemble those af- fected by police officers, and are used for a particular purpose. You invariably begin your conversation with “Now, young man," and when you address the members of your family you do it in a gruff, perfunctory way. You pay all bills with great regularity, and it is for this purpose that you principally exist. You are overbearing and intensely vul- brief, you are an American citizen, somewhat overworked, perhaps, but in- terested in many things, having real emotions, sentiments, courtesy, genu- ine heartstrings, and a desire to make others happy. As such I salute you, and wish you a long life and a complete justification; if not here, in the hereafter. Faithfully yours, Lire. Love’s Progress. Wits first garet She blushed rose-red, And sternly said "You mustn't! I kissed sweet Mar- Stop ! Last night I kissed sweet Margaret; She blushed rose-red, But only said ** You mustn't stop rr comicbooks.com