Life, 1906-08-02 · page 14 of 40
Life — August 2, 1906 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine satirizes **John D. Rockefeller's** vacation in France. The text's central joke: Rockefeller, America's wealthiest industrialist (whose fortune came from oil and railroads), is enjoying himself abroad because the French don't morally judge his "tainted" money—they simply want to spend it. The satire mocks both Rockefeller's attempt at respectability (he's never joined high Society, only Baptist circles) and American hypocrisy about wealth. While Americans criticized his business practices, the French happily admire his "thrift." The decorative cartoons—smiling and frowning faces—are generic illustrations unrelated to the main text. The "Fresh Air Fund" section lists donations to a charitable cause, typical of *Life's* mix of satire and philanthropic reporting. The joke's sting: even the world's most controversial billionaire finds acceptance when money talks loudly enough.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Our Fresh Air Fund REVIOUSLY acknowledged E.L.D.. Capt. R. M. Prat Mises K... izabeth Inglis J.D.W.. “In Memory of RJ. A." “In Memory of M.S. A." Anonymous....+. “In Memory of Cha “Cash” WHEN NATURE SMILES AND—— $1889 80 $00 10.00 5 00 “In Me of Rox" HPL. Salt Lake City Mrs. Re D. Lawrence. Wm. P. Clyde Total...$2.314 80 AT LIFE’S FARM AN AFTERNOON PERFORMANCE Uncle John’s Good Time ‘O ALL appearance Uncle John Rockefeller is having a bully time in France. It is debatable whether he or Mr. Longworth is having the most fun. ‘The French are pleased with Uncle John and observe no taint on his dough. They are acquiring the English of it. Say to them “tainted!” they reply“’tain’t.” So learning follows in our solvent country- man’s footsteps. The French admire him and he them. He praises their thrift, thrift being Uncle John’s strong suit. Thrift is no trouble when you have a superabundant income and are not in So Uncle John has never been in Society, except Baptist Society, which is not stylish and is inex- He is in oil, railroads, the gas s and nearly everything else known, except Society and jail. We guess he will never be in these last; any- how, not in Society. But he does not seem to care. He shows more symptoms of enjoyment than he has ina long time. His Nemesis is not working—doped, maybe, or locked out— and he exhibits a levity of spirit which recalls the old days, before he broke down his digestion trying to run a forty- horse-power mind on a diet of railroad lunch-counter sinkers. It is delightful to see Uncle John so happy. We also have done some’ wrong i and seeing him so frolicsome makes us hope now that we, too, may never be caught up with. O NOT profess too much friendship for any woman —she is always likely to resent it. E WOR- ship many \ gods, but only Kz one devil. WHEN SUE DorSN'T comicbooks.com