Life — April 14, 1904 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine Page 358 Analysis This page critiques corruption in Missouri politics, particularly focusing on Joseph Folk's anti-corruption campaign. The main cartoon depicts a bloated figure labeled "sarsaparilla" (likely representing a corrupt politician or business interest), visually satirizing how legislators can be "bought" through bribes. The article discusses Folk's fight against bribery in state legislation and his exposure of the Royal Baking Powder Company's use of poisonous alum in their products. The text argues that while business corruption exists nationwide, Missouri's legislature has been particularly susceptible to bribery. The satire targets the hypocrisy of politicians who claim respectability while secretly accepting bribes, and criticizes how corrupt legislatures are more desirable to certain business interests than honest ones.