Life, 1904-03-10 · page 8 of 20
Life — March 10, 1904 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon, titled "Spirit of the Times," depicts a wealthy man in a carriage pulled by an ornate horse, commanding a street urchin to take him to "the offices of the Easy Money Silk Trust." He promises the boy a job as company president if he complies—obvious satire of the era's corrupt corporate practices and nepotism. Below, "A Letter" contains editorial correspondence praising Life's satirical "leaders" for their clarity and fairness in addressing public issues. The writer notes Life's editorials provide "liberal education" to readers. On the right, "A Fixed Purpose" shows a boy declaring he'll become a hobo "if I live!"—likely satirizing how some viewed the vagrant lifestyle as preferable to arduous work. The page satirizes Gilded Age wealth inequality, corporate corruption, and social mobility struggles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘DRIVER, | WANT YOU TO TAKE ME AROUND TO THE OFFICES OF T SPIRIT OF THE TIMES. E EASY MONEY MILK TRUST. AS PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY AND E WISH TO APPEAR PROSPEROUS.” A Letter. Eprtor oF Lire: rels are full of adiniring friends and artless idiots, but I want to —Doubtless your ash bar- “bouquets” thrown you by adi one more in tribute to Live's editorials. These comments on men, things and events agree so uniformly with m ant convinced of t lence of your ju session. From through and your views nd ¢ ” range Id of publ are given with such that “he who runs ma perhaps taken your censure nt to 0 read will ran) and temp conciliate even those whom vou may attack, and u J taste of your satire should sweeten its sharpness Your “ funeral sermon” over Mr. Whitney is especially fine. Nothing less than gentus could write an article like that with its fine distinet between the sin and the sinner, and its denuncia- its approbations. Tt will to thousands, and surely carry its high 1m to none. can give offe “Let the good work go on!" He who reads Lire rials regularly is getting “a liberal educatic This calls for knowledgment, and Tadd my obseur y because of an aversion to the anony Very truly, Edward A, Chureh, Th oN, February 19, 1904 1 AM GOING TO APPLY For 4 rosttion — Wo Wags A Fixed Purpose. RIGGS: Iam going to be cremated. s:So am I—if llive! THE MAN WITH THE Mose. comicbooks.com