Life, 1908-09-10 · page 15 of 22
Life — September 10, 1908 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains three satirical pieces: **Top Cartoon ("Our National Circus"):** Depicts "Signore Bryan" (William Jennings Bryan, the politician) as a nervous figure on a swing. The caption suggests he'll get used to the swinging motion—likely mocking his political vacillation or controversial positions. **"How to Make Criminals":** A biting satirical essay (attributed to Ellis O. Jones) that exposes systemic injustice in law enforcement and incarceration. It darkly prescribes how to criminalize people by: criminalizing popular behaviors, using selective enforcement based on wealth, publicizing arrests to stigmatize offenders, and deliberately creating harsh prison conditions that ensure recidivism. The satire critiques police corruption, class-based justice, and how the system manufactures repeat criminals. **"Joy" and "Another Broken Engagement":** Brief humorous social commentary on middle-class life—one about small wardrobe upgrades, another about broken engagements (illustrated with lovers in water). The page reflects Progressive-Era skepticism toward law enforcement and class inequality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Signore Bryan: BROTHER BILL SEEMS KIND OF NERVOUS HANGING OVER THERE, BUT APTER ME PALLS A COUPLE OF TIMES, AS 1 DID, ELL GET USED To IT. NN TON NNN x OUR NATIONAL CIRCUS A Misfit OME truths we can’t unravel But it’s just as plain as day Why the “ rounder "” cannot travel In the straight and narrow way. How to Make Criminals HE making of criminals is a very important American industry. Pro- ceed as follows: Find out something that a large num- ber of the people desire to do and then make a law against it. The law should be sufficiently elastic to admit of excep- tions when the public good or the offender's purse seems to demand it. After the law is made hire a few good policemen to lie in wait for offend- ers. It is necessary to cateh a criminal before you can make him. Many a man has remained good all his life by not being caught. After you get hold of one he will probably tell you that he did not know the law. If he does, tell him that ignorance of the law excuses no one. If he insists, tell him that even the lawyers don’t know the law, as, 275 otherwise, there would not be so many of them. If he insists further, crack him over the head and tell him to shut up. If the man has no money at all crack him in the head in the first place. Next, publish his name in all the newspapers. This is for two reasons: First, to make him more of a criminal, and second, to show that the police de- partment is doing its duty. Next, chuck him into as unpleasant a place as can be devised. At night sur- round him with a choice collection of vermin. For this purpose an entamolo- gist should be consulted. In the day- time make him work like a dog, but do not give him anything for it. Give it to some one else. Perhaps the best way to dispose of the surplus product is by the contract system, although there are other forms of graft nearly as good After a few years of this he is prob- ably a full-fledged criminal. In order to test your work turn him loose without any money or any friends. If he comes back in a short time, you have sue- ceeded. If not, you have failes but it usually works. Ellis O. Jones. Joy ba ERKINS looks very happy this year.”” “He has reason to be. He says that after his wife and children had been fitted out with their fall wardrobes there left over to enable him to have a new velvet collar put on his overcoat."" “ OW was the table at your summer resort? '’ Splendid! Never had such canned goods in my life!'’ és ANOTHER “ BROKEN ENGAGEMENT "* comicbooks.com