Life, 1900-05-24 · page 7 of 20
Life — May 24, 1900 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis This page from *Life* magazine features an engraving by E.K. Houston depicting a silhouetted figure in a landscape. The caption references "the flying dutchman that anchors in our bay" and mentions harboring "a delicious...it were" and collecting "special duty upon spirits." The cartoon appears to be political satire about contraband liquor smuggling, likely during Prohibition era. "The Flying Dutchman" (a ghostly ship legend) serves as a metaphor for vessels bringing illegal alcohol into American harbors. The reference to "special duty upon spirits" is a pun—spirits meaning both alcohol and ghosts—satirizing the government's inability to prevent smuggling despite tariffs and enforcement efforts. The accompanying biographical entries suggest this is from a "Who's It in America?" feature providing background on notable figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“TIS THE FLYING DUTCHMAN THAT ANCHORS IN OUR BAY I” “THEN WR HARBOR A DELUSION, AS IT WERE.” “WM, THINK YOU THAT WE CAN COLLECT THE SPECIAL DUTY UPON SPIRITS?” “Who's It in America?" (The increasing demand for intimate information concerning the prominent persons of this country has led to the publication of many books of reference, more or less complete. It remains for us, however, to offer in ‘‘ Who's It in America?” a book giving from the most authoritative sources information not to be found in any other volume, whatever its cost and pretensions. We present here a few biographies of noted Ameri- cans, simply to indicate the plan of the work and the care and skill with which it has been carried out. It is needless to say that no biography has been in- serted in return for money or influence, and that no person whose true and inward history appears here has been asked to subscribe to the work. The facts set forth in the biographies may be accepted as wholly correct. If they are found not to be, it is not because they ought not to be. The dates are correct, anyway, within a comparatively short time. Epitor.) ADDICKS, John Edward, financter and col- lector, born February 21, 1841. Famous for his collection of Delaware bric-a-brac and articles of virtue. Recreation: Collecting. Publication: “Caveat Emptor; or Don't Count Your Legis- tators Until They've Voted. * BRYAN, William Jennings, hereditary * stand- ard bearer of the Democratic party ; born March 19, 1800 ; served in Congress. Obtained a “war record" as Colonel of the Third Nebraska Vol- unteers, 1808, Succeeded himself as hereditary standard bearer, 1897, Recreation: Preventing the crucifixion of allver. Publication: “Twice Told Tales." CORBIN, Henry Clark, Adjutant-General United States Army ; born in Ohlo September 15, 1842. Entered army, 1862, AdjutantGeneral, 1498. Planned and carried out the war with Spain, 1898, and the Philippine War, 1899-1900, Re- creation: Mathematica. Publication: “New Method of Reducing Miles to Smaller Terms." Clubs, none. CROKER, Richard Welstead, gentleman ; born in Ireland November 24, 1843 ; educated at The Hedge School, Ireland. Coroner, Comptroller, etc., of New York City, Recreations: Turf and Reformers. Publication (with T. C. Platt, q. ¥.): “The Charter of the City of New York.” DEPEW, Chauncey Mitchell, ratiroad man, musician and Senator ; born April 28, 1894, eda- cated at Yale. Appotnted Senator by T. U. Ptatt, 1890, and elected by New York Legislature, 1809; term explres, 1905, Recreation: Musto (plays second fiddie in an orchestra led by Mr. T.C. Platt), Publication : “ Being a Boy.” DEWEY, George, Admiral, United States Navy, and Presidential candidate; born in Vermont December 26, 1837, Destroyed Spanish flect in Manila harbor, May 1, 1808. Welcomed home, September 30, 1809, Admiral, March 3, 1890. Married October 9, 1890, Recreation’ Rocking the boat. Publications: “All for Her; What Did Dewey Do?” HANNA, Marcus Alonzo, capitalist, Syndicate manager and Senator; born In Obio September 24, 1837. Interested to some extent in the Standard O11 Company. Founded the McKinley Syndicate, 1803, and ts now controlling owner and managing director. Senator, 1807. Recrea-