Life, 1901-04-04 · page 12 of 32
Life — April 4, 1901 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "John Bull & Co." — A British Political Satire This page presents a British farce-comedy satirizing British imperial governance. The two illustrations depict characters identified by their captions: "I'm a Triply Prime, Prime Minister" (left) and "As a Sanguinary Statesman I'm a Peach" (right). The text mocks British political pretensions, particularly around imperialism ("And from Greenland's icy mountains unto India's coral strand"). The humor targets a Prime Minister character who boasts of his importance while being portrayed as self-aggrandizing and ridiculous. References to "Saxon unity" and "Anglo-Saxon" nationalism suggest this critiques British imperialist ideology of the era. The satire appears designed to deflate pompous British political figures through caricature and self-aware irony about empire-building rhetoric.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(As the curtain rises the stage is seen to le decorated in charactertstic fashion with orna- mente in keeping with the spirit of the play. A row of heads, of all subject nations, transfixed on bayonets, extends as a border around the entire stage, which ix tined with bags of gold and other trophies and spoils. A large Bible, plerced by a jamonds from the Kaftr mines, hangs yendent from the ceiling, and caste @ Wood-red g A company of Britleh sword anil set with over alt soldiers entere Opening Ch We are we're a fight heen Sone or Tommy ATKINS. We've ght by our superiors that might is always right, So we follow where th god of battle tits, And we fight for golden glory while they reap the benefits, lead us—where the Por it's Te What the We are here While ul ymy, Tommy Atkins, ible says is true ; » rob the 'Eath fightin's up to you.” Our bayonets are shining where the desert’s And amid the tropic splendors where th world is ever green; “Dm a Triply Prime, Prime Mintster.” *LIPE- “John Bull & Co.” A British Farce-Comedy. And from Greenland’s icy mountains unto India’s coral strand We're converting the benighted Mauser in our hand. with a And it’s “Tommy, Tommy Atkins, Here's a farthin’ for your toils; Let the dum dum bullets whistle While we're auditin’ the spoils.” (They march three times around the stage to martial music, then atack arms, while the bugle sounds, and Lord Salisbury enters inposingly. He etepa at once to front of stage and sings.) I'm a Triply Prime, Prime Minister — Lop Sautspeny I'm the pompous representative of Saxon unity, A diplomatist and statesman all in on Aggressi I advocate with absolute impunity When the enemy is rich and on the run, With my bushy beard Lam greatly feared, And iy smile, that is often sinister! Lo! the Indian god Obeys my nod! I'm a triply prime, Prime Minister! Anglo- eness. When my countrymen have settled in some land of possibilit And have grabbed the reins of govern- y English style, ‘The time's then ripe to banish hypocritical ili : ‘Thus cach alien race I work to efface, And I smile in ny way When the prayers are O'er the countless dead— I'm a triply prime, Prime Minister! chores. He adds to our territorial pile In a truly civilized English style, And a smile that’s a trifle sinister. When the ene ich and on the run He hesitates not to use a gun— He's a triply prime, Prime Minister. (Here enters Jouph Chamlertain, riding on @ white dephant, He hastens to alight, and, adjusting his morocte, adcances rapidly to the Footlights.) Song of Disdain Now, wh And beast! Joserit CHAMBERLAIN 's all this chatter latter? 8a Sanguinary Statesman I'm a Peach.”