Life, 1908-07-16 · page 5 of 26
Life — July 16, 1908 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Cartoon (Top):** The illustration by W. H. Robinson depicts a figure in formal dress operating a complex mechanical contraption labeled with pulleys and levers, attempting to manipulate a large sphere (representing "the globe"). The quote "God helps them that help themselves" attributes this to Benjamin Franklin. **Meaning:** This satirizes the tension between individual ambition and collective welfare. The cartoon suggests that self-interested manipulation of systems—even through elaborate mechanical means—may be futile or counterproductive when dealing with matters affecting society broadly. **Text Below:** An article titled "A Short Sketch of the Globe" uses evolutionary language ("particles," "protoplasm," "crustaceans") as metaphor for social development, contrasting community interests with individual desires. A subsequent section on "Form of Introduction" references Mr. Taft, suggesting early 20th-century American political context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
COD HELPS THEM THAT HELP THEMSELVES.—Benjemin Franklin. This picture, drawn by W. H. Robinson, London, England, was awarded a price of $230 in Life's contest A Short Sketch of the Globe (For Those Who Are On") IRST, there were a number of particles that clung together. As they swung around they formed into a ball. ‘The ball got protoplasm. « It then took a cold bath. one-quarter of it dried off. Crustaceans began to crustaceate. Some one rang for ice. A few mammoths began to loaf around. There being plenty of choice lots, a gar- dener and his wife were advertised for. ‘Then the world had hired help. They insisted on having Sundays off. Their first kindergarten was arithmetic. They began to multiply. Then the world began to collect a choice lot of second. hand nations. History began to unroll. The community came. vidual. These two are now competing with each other. There is nothing much left over Only about Then the indi- Jor the best illustration of the quotation. to talk about but this interesting fact. The individual wanted to do as he pleased. The community wanted to do as it pleased. One couldn't get along without the other and One couldn't seem to get along with the other. At present, there the matter stands, the problem being as follows: The Community +the Individual — the Individual = ? TL. 3. Form of Introduction “ AMERICAN PEOPLE, this is Mr. Taft. Mr. Taft, the American peo ple. (Turning to A. P.) Mr. Taft, as you may know, is one of our most distin- guished lawyers, at one time associated with Mr. Roosevelt in the administration of con- duct—excuse me, I meant conduct of ad- ministration. (Turning to Taft.) ‘The American people, as you may have heard, are interested in crops, trusts, railroads, Wall Street, race tracks, bridge, religion, beef, iron, wine and dry goods. They like and expect to be fooled moderately, but you can get next to them all right, if you do carry it too far. (To both.) And now, gentlemen, sit down and have som —on each oth Here they have been belaboring one another for hours, and neither Christian nor Turk has gained the slightest ascendancy. It is the 22d of September—ab! that accounts for it. The dey and the knight are equal. comicbooks.com