Life, 1900-02-22 · page 8 of 20
Life — February 22, 1900 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire from Life Magazine This page contains personal letters and commentary rather than political cartoons. The main content features Joseph Smith discussing social matters in South Africa, including references to: - **The Boer War context**: References to "Red Necks," "Anglo-Saxon blood," and militia excursions to Africa suggest tensions during or after the Boer War period - **Mining operations**: Discussion of mines and workers suggests the South African mining industry - **Social divisions**: Commentary on class ("hasty people") and racial attitudes ("dominant race") The illustrations are decorative figure drawings accompanying the text rather than editorial cartoons making specific political points. A sidebar announces **Life's contest**: a $50 gold prize for the best argument about "which is the meanest city in the United States"—satirizing American urban conditions and civic competition of the era. The satire is gentle, focused on social customs and personal observations rather than sharp political critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
locked up by the police. While I con- sidered this statement somewhat exag- gerated, I deemed it prudent to lay ina stock of guns for the warm season, . . . > HAVE have had some correspond. ence with a Mr. Chamberlain of England, a person with an eyeglass, a nerve, a flow of language and a passion for foreign real estate. We did not understand each other; at least he didn’t. 1 found him dreadfully smart and quite warlike on paper. He was solicitous to give me a gold brick for a gold mine, and let me apologize. 1am a man of peace, with a family, and I spoke to my folks. I'd have written to the papers about him only they wanted advertising rates, so I bought Maxims, Creusots, cartridges, and things like that. I thought they'd be handy around the house, and nice to put in British stock- ings when they called roundat Christmas time. Then the English got excited and said they would be compelled to remove me from the map, secing I was so fussy about my gold mines. Those English are a hasty people; their Anglo-Saxon blood is hot and impetuous, if you happen to be small and mild like me. . . . HEN they called out the militia for an excursion to Africa, I called in old man Joubert, and said, ‘Jube! Do you suppose those ferocious Red Necks will leave their happy homes and come down here in this unhealthy season?” "1 -LIFE - shouldn't wonder, Paul,” says Jube, ‘At any rate, we might as well appoint a Reception Committee.” So I called in the boys from the farms, told them to spruce up a Dit, and go out and receive our guests, My neighbor Steyn wanted a piece of it, so we concluded to make it ~ a family affair, We may lack the polish of Europe, but we understand the sacred rites of hospitality. I proclaimed a general holiday, but I kept the mines going, so as to scrape together a few dollars for the Reception Committee, who had to pay for advertising, hiring halls, brass bands, and things. * ° . HE Red Necks started, and my young men went out to meet them halfway, so as to break the stiffness of the thing. White laid over in Ladysmith on account of the weather, Methuen checked his baggage through to Pretoria, and Buller wrote me that he would dine with me Christmas, and a number of the boys consented to trim my whiskers if Pd play Santa Claus. I am d sappointed that they didnot keep theirengagements. lL expect there was a collision on the road, or the bridges fell down, or something ; but Joubert has been considerate in the matter, and says he'll try and have them all up here to my surprise party carly in 1900. I shall be real pleased to see them. . R. CHAMBER- LAIN, I am sorry to say, has stopped writing —tome; Ididso enjoy his letters. Things are all adrift anyhow. Kipling hasn't written a poem about me for two days, and it seems odd not to be called a baboon for a whole week, What's the matter with the dominant race this week, I wonder? My whiskers are still intact, T expect quite a boom in the Transvaal soon. Emigration was never so numerous this way. I haven't known so many people trying to get in here for a long time, and, as usual, the railroads break down, I guess I'll call a policeman and go out and sce my guests play polo and soldiers. Joseph Smith, «(THE religion of the Boers is de- cidedly behind the times!” “Yes, Iam told they actually believe what they profess to belicve!” An Important Question! V HICH is the meanest city in the United States? This is an important question, and one that Lire would like to have defi- nitely settled, With that object in view, we offer A Prize of Fifty Dollars in Gold for the best statement of facts which Prove that any particular city is the meancst one in this country. Conditions. Competitors must imtt thetr arguments to three hundred words each. Write on one side of the paper only. The contest will close May Ist, 1900, and the award will be made as soon thereafter ax the respective merits of the arguments can be determined. ‘The winning argument will be printed, together with auch others as may seem to Lire worthy of that distingulshed honor, Names and addresses of the writers shonld accbmpany all manuscripts, In no case will these he printed without the permtssion of the sender. Those who destre thelr manuscripts returned should euclose stamped and addressed return envelope. Each manuscript may bear a pseudonym, which will be printed with the argument. The Fdltors of Live are to be the sole Judges of the merits of the argument.