Life, 1899-09-28 · page 9 of 20
Life — September 28, 1899 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 249 **The Cartoon:** The illustration titled "The Nobleman: EVERY MAN HAS HIS PRICE. YOU KNOW. 'OH, THIS IS NO RUDENESS!'" depicts a well-dressed man in formal attire conversing with an elegantly dressed woman on a sofa. The cartoon satirizes social hypocrisy and class pretension—the "nobleman" claims superiority while the caption suggests his civility is merely transactional ("every man has his price"). **The Article:** The accompanying text discusses West Point military academy, expressing concern about political interference in military institutions. The author criticizes proposals to transfer West Point's control, arguing this threatens institutional independence and patriotic military integrity. The piece advocates protecting the military from political manipulation and diplomatic interference. **Overall Theme:** The page combines visual satire about aristocratic pretense with serious political commentary on institutional independence and military governance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright, 1499, by Lise Publiading Co. The Nobleman: EVERY MAN HAS 118 PRICE, YOU KNOW. would Bunkum's old man bavo been in tho Rebellion had they annoyed a patriot in that way? The meddlers pretend that somo thousands of dollars worth of goods aro gono astray in my department, and they want to know where ft bas gone. Did you over hear of anything quite 60 absurd? It I knew where It was it wouldn't be gono astray, would it? I put the loss down tothe fortune of war, as any sensible man would; but the army gang says that won't go, and are blowing off steam about acourt-martial. Iam gotting sick of this West Point clique, and I don’t blame Russell A. for sitting down on them hard. If the conduct of the war {6 allowed to slip into the hands of West Point the coun- try will ruc it, and our patriotic Industries will feel the difference, West Point ts utterly unscrupulous in {ts mothods; in- “OM, THIS 18 80 SUDDEN! {stoad of using diplomacy, benovolont assim- Hlation and cablegrams, it will rush {n and end the whole business before the Adminis tration has made up its mind where it is at, Tho whole thing will look bad for tho party; and these fool volunteers out in the rico flolds aro in sympathy with tho regu- lars, instead of standing by us patriots of tho volunteer staff, Tho Administration should open its eyes to this West Point plot; it has already captured the meddling war correspondents, and is worse than tho Boston crowd, Tam beginning to think republics aro ungrateful; my sacrifices have been mado in vain; and unless I am transferred to Cuba or Porto Rico, or get a good opening here, I'll throw up tho whole business and comehome. I have written Gasatoon about transfer, and tho boys should get up a strong petition to him bofore tho fall elec- tions, That'll do the business, Of course, I won't come out of this thing dead broke. I have had my opportunities and know a good thing when I soo it, but I don’t want to bo hounded outof tho army becauso a lot of Wost Point upstarts aro suspicious and envious, My oxporience here convinces mo that tho danger to our country Hes in militar. fam, and that tho quicker wo abolish West Point and the regular army tho better for tho United States. Tho true strongth of a republic lies in a patriotic militia, fresh, vigorous volunteers, unhampored by mill- tary nonsense, and a sturdy, loyal staf? drawn from the ranks of reliable party workers, With these tho country Is safo from tho wiles and Prussianizing methods of West Point. Yourstruly, Q.M.D.