Life — February 14, 1907 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This *Life* magazine page contains two distinct pieces: **"Our Tariff History"** (left): A satirical article by Ina Barkell using Uncle Sam as a mascot. It traces American tariff policy from Columbus onward, arguing that protective tariffs have created dependent "infant industries" that never mature. The piece sarcastically notes these industries survive only through political connections—"those who have friends in Congress" versus the Senate. **"Incidents of a Bad Bargain"** (right): Commentary on the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough's separation, presented as a cautionary tale about aristocratic marriages. It critiques both the imprudent union and the broader practice of wealthy families using titles and dowries as currency in marriage negotiations, rather than genuine compatibility. Both pieces mock the era's power structures—political favoritism and aristocratic economics.