Life — November 27, 1902 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Political Cartoon Analysis: "Laws of the State of Trusts" The cartoon depicts a large, aggressive dog labeled "TRUSTS" attacking a smaller figure representing a worker or laborer. The accompanying article discusses Doctor Hillis's sermon criticizing labor unions while defending industrial trusts. The satire is pointed: while Hillis condemned unions as lawless and violent organizations threatening American liberty, the cartoon visually inverts this argument—depicting trusts (monopolistic corporations) as the actual aggressive force attacking workers. The dog metaphor suggests trusts operate without restraint or law, despite Hillis's claims that unions represent the real lawlessness. This reflects Progressive Era anxieties about unchecked corporate power versus labor organizing, suggesting the magazine sided with worker protections against monopolistic business practices.