Life, 1907-02-21 · page 13 of 36
Life — February 21, 1907 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains reader letters and social commentary rather than political cartoons. The main image shows what appears to be a scene depicting George Washington's father disciplining young George for chopping down a cherry tree—referencing the famous (likely apocryphal) American legend about honesty. The letters address urban social problems: one from New York City complains about inadequate public transit ("Subway, 'L'"), while a Newark reader criticizes crowded conditions and lack of shame among men, urging corporations to install more handholds in streetcars to protect women from assault during transit. The final item, "A True Optimist," is a brief joke about a minister seeking a salary increase. The page reflects Progressive Era concerns about public safety and urban conditions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
W YORK CITY. Dear Life—What do you think of this for real humor, pure and undefiled ? The “ad” in a morning paper: “BOY—Wanted, bright, energetic, AMERI- CAN boy; general office work. Tur Compas.” The result: Isador Benj. Isidor Kornblum, Louis Siser, Jacob Bader, Sam Wolf, Max Reiff These were the only applicants. Yours, Dear Sir—Have the men of New York lost all sense of shame? The Subway, “L” and surface-cars all show crowds of brutes BADGE. OF THE GRAND ORDER OF THE ELEPHANT George Washington's Father: ReMEMBER, CEORCE, THAT 17 1 HAD PUNISHED YOU YOR CHOPPING THAT CHERRY TREE IT WOULD HAVE HURT ME MORE THAN IT HURT You. George Washington: 1 AM AFRAID, FATHER, THAT MY INCAPACITY FOR PREVARICATION IS NOT AN IN- MERITED TRAIT, in human form madly clinging to the straps, to the exclusion of the ladies. In the South (where I was not raised), a gentleman instantly yields his strap to a lady who enters a street-car. Can you not use your powerful influence with the soulless corporations who control our strect-cars, to put more straps in their vehicles, and save us the brutal spectacle which is witnessed in every car of big, pow- erful men monopolizing all the straps whi weak, defenseless women are compelled to clutch at the air every time the car rocks around the curves? Let us have more straps in our street-cars —but in the meantime let us characterize the strap-hog as he fitly deserves. A man who will not give his strap to a lady in a crowded car is a callous brute. Yours in suspense, Tom FLeminc. A True Optimist a SEEMS a pity that our minister isn’t getting a larger salary.” “Well, I don’t know. If he were, he would eat more food, which would make him stronger, and if he were stronger he would doubtless preach longer sermons.” comicbooks.com