Life, 1903-04-09 · page 3 of 22
Life — April 9, 1903 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Expensive" cartoon (top):** A woman figure labeled "Love's Trust" is being taxed by a government "tax assessor," with cherubs and hearts scattered around. The satire mocks the taxation of romantic gestures—the young man must pay one dollar per kiss. The joke critiques government overreach into intimate private life, suggesting that even personal affection has become subject to state revenue collection. **"Development" section (bottom):** Discusses Representative Payne's remarks about private business receiving more congressional attention than predecessors. It argues that while common graft requires general legislation, human relations and special cases need individualized laws—suggesting the government's bureaucratic approach oversimplifies complex situations. **Lower cartoon:** Shows "Poor Bear" denied bathwater, likely commenting on resource scarcity or bureaucratic restrictions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LL was a beautiful evening in the Spring of 2001. The moon shone pale and transcendent in the clouds above, and as the two lovers sat close together, no sound was heard save the stealthy tread of the one spectator to their tryst. The young man pressed the maiden to his heart, and turning her face to his, was about to kiss her, when she drew back. “Darling,” she asked anxiously, ‘‘what is the tax on kisses?’’ “One dollar each,” he observed grimly, “but I don’t cure if my salary is mortgaged up to next Christmas, I’m desperate for a kiss.”” “Don't!” she said pleadingly. ‘The tax assessor is watching our every movement and is ready to chalk it down. You know, even now, itis costing you fifty cents an hour to be with me.” “IT know it!” exclaimed her lover, ‘ but, my you know the trusts must live. The head of the Lover's Trust is only worth eight trillions, and sup- pose we should go out of business! Why, his divi- dends might be cut down. No, no. Let us love, even if the tax is raised to a dollar an hour and there is no bread in the house. I must be true to my country’s best interests “You are right,” she said, yielding to his superior mind, And as their lips met in a long, lingering O Flat e daily; IF, “4 dollar kiss, the registering machine, planted ‘| twenty feet back of them, clicked out its P$> ominous sound, showing that John Jones, American citizen, had been docked for one kiss by the United States Amalgamated Lover’s Trust. SPRING. Development. Lu THs Congress,’ remarks Rep- sentative Payne, “ has given greater attention to private business than any of its predecessors.”” Is not this unavoidably so? In the earlier stages of national development, when interests are more nearly common, enough graft to make elections safe may be effect- uated by general legislation. But with the complication of human rela- tions, graft takes on more of the character of individuality, so to speak, and special or private legisla- tion is necessary. The condition which Mr. Payne calls attention to shows that we have easily emerged from the chrys- alis state. Polar Bear: MANO THE LUCK! NOT A DROP OF ICE WATER Yor a Batu! comicbooks.com