Life — December 19, 1907 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 744 (December 19, 1907) The main cartoon depicts an owl wearing a mortarboard labeled "WISDOM" and holding a torch labeled "TORY." This caricature appears to represent conservative Republican ideology being invoked to guide political discussion. The accompanying article discusses President Roosevelt's recent message to Congress regarding corporate control, currency reform, and labor issues. The text critiques both Roosevelt's approach and contemporary Democratic weakness, particularly mentioning William Jennings Bryan as an uninspiring Democratic candidate. The cartoon satirizes the conservative establishment's attempt to position itself as the voice of wisdom and tradition during a period of significant political debate over federal power, corporate regulation, and economic reform—core issues of the Progressive Era.