Life — August 18, 1904 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Consumer and His Living" - Life Magazine, Page 164 This satirical article criticizes rising costs of living and food prices in early 20th-century America. The illustrations depict ordinary citizens (recognizable by their simple clothing and expressions) being squeezed financially by increasing expenses. The text argues that consumers are being exploited by food sellers and profiteers who charge excessive prices while workers' wages stagnate. It references a specific proposal by "Mr. Fletcher" advocating extreme frugality (eating only milk, maple sugar, and crackers) as impractical—such deprivation would reduce worker productivity and mental capacity. The article's central satire: while food prices soar and profiteers grow wealthy, ordinary working people struggle to afford basic living necessities, forced to choose between eating adequately or maintaining their health and labor capacity.