Life, 1902-12-25 · page 5 of 77
Life — December 25, 1902 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a society gathering where someone reads a "Political Horoscope." The satire concerns President Roosevelt's tariff reform efforts and their political consequences. The text suggests Roosevelt faces an impossible balancing act: pleasing working-class voters through tariff reform while avoiding antagonizing wealthy business interests ("the classes who pay the freight"). The horoscope implies Roosevelt must "bust two brouches at once"—satisfy contradictory constituencies simultaneously. The secondary pieces mock social pretension ("A Success") and clergy adjustments ("Spiritual Adjustment"), with commentary on finding good servants and wives who tolerate their husbands' behavior. The overall page satirizes Gilded Age social hierarchies and political compromise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
551 A Political Horoscope. [TH fine old stalking-horse, Tariff Reform, is being groomed and exercised. With Grover Cleveland up, Tariff Re- form ought to be good movey. Everything depends on Roose- velt, If his message to Congress means any- thing, the President is trying to please the masses who do the voting, while not dis- pleasing the classes who pay the freight. But one need be very adroit as well as very strenuous if one is to bust two bronchos at once. Should — Roosevelt make Wall Street bate him, and show its hatred, he would cap- turo the bulk of the six million votes which were Bryan’s in 1896 and 1900. But the bourgeoisie wouldn't do a thing but have at him with their ballots. Spiritual Adjustment. M RS. CHIC: Our -"- new rector is not at all worldly. Mr. Cato: Well, he will have to tone our parish down. “Oh, no; our parish will have to tone him up.” \ == Jf at first you don’t succeed, \ fail, fail again. A SUCCESS. “Do TELL US WHAT MNS. ROUNCER 18 LIKE.” “WELL, SHE'S A WOMAN OP SIXTY WHO LOOKS PIPTY, THINKS SUE'S FORTY, DRESSES LIKE THIRTY, AND ACTS LIKE TWENTY.” HE wife who shares her hus- N owabays a good general band's hopes and humors his servant is hard to find, even illusions is ever beautiful. in a wife. 4 SWELL arrain. comicbooks.com