Life — February 4, 1904 — page 36: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a full-page **advertisement**, not a satirical cartoon. The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York is promoting itself in *Life* magazine (February 4, 1904). The ad makes competitive claims: $400 million in assets, "oldest in America" and "largest in the World." It emphasizes that the company has "earned more," "paid more," and "holds more" for policyholders than competitors. The circular seal shows "The First American Life Insurance Company" with a profile portrait (likely a company founder, though unclear who). There's a mail-in coupon below requesting personal details (age, occupation, address) for interested readers. This represents early 20th-century corporate advertising's emphasis on size, stability, and superiority claims—typical of the era's insurance industry competition.