Life, 1905-07-27 · page 3 of 24
Life — July 27, 1905 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This *Life* magazine page satirizes President Theodore Roosevelt's political communication style. The main cartoon shows a couple on vacation, with the woman expressing concerns while the man responds with characteristic Roosevelt bombast. The text mocks Roosevelt's tendency toward aggressive rhetoric and direct action. "The System Does Snicker" critiques his blunt approach to governance, quoting his Kansas City speech about American boldness. The piece suggests Roosevelt's solutions—demanding Congress pass legislation quickly—reflect impatience with democratic processes rather than practical problem-solving. "A Friend to the Veterans" praises Roosevelt for supporting Mr. Brady's old cavalry horses, presenting him as a man of action who cares for details others overlook. The satire captures early-1900s frustration with Roosevelt's energetic but sometimes ham-fisted executive style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
«One Touch of Nature.” F men a little cools ; Another fact, though, dearly makes me love them, The first fact is, that men are mostly fools, The second is, 1am one of them, The « System’? Does Snicker. HAT a terribly blunt way Mr. Tom Lawson of Bawson has of saying things. In his Kansas City speech, for in- stance: To-day at the helm of your affairs is an able and fearless American, bold to conceive and strong toexceute, T nd you are urse wherever elt knows it, is more keenly the corporate —but what can behind him, he sees fit and to-day no man aware of the neces despotism under w President Roosevelt do? I hate to say it, but he is as helpless in the “system's” net asa bull in a balloon, Like Gulliverin Liliputia, he is bound by a thousand threads—Congress, the Senate, the party's interests, and gratitude, and all the intan- gible influences which the great money power can weave round any individual. How brave and quick the President is to do! A wrong is called to his attention, a law must needs be passed—the rebate evil must be curbed, and he sends messages to Congress demanding instant action. What happens? Congress temporizes: the Senate snubs him, and the “ system" snickers. A Friend to the Veterans. IFE’S compliments—and, presum- ably, of many thousands of his readers—to Mr. Nicholas F. Brady. Old fire horses have found a friend Hereafter, when no longer fit for duty they will not be compelicd to spend their remaining days in front of heavy trucks or merchandise wagons. They will roam over green fields, well cared for, without any work to do. Mr. Brady buys these horses of the city. The opinion is emphatically ex- pressed that the city might at least give Mr. Brady the horses. comicbooks.com