Life — December 31, 1908 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "King Joseph; Or the Tariff That Never Died" This satirical play page mocks protectionist tariff policy. "King Joseph" (likely Joseph Cannon, the House Speaker mentioned in stage directions) sits enthroned atop industrial machinery and money bags, surrounded by representatives of steel, copper, and wood trusts seeking tariff protection. The satire targets the argument that raising tariffs "nourishes" struggling industries. Characters like "Teddy" (Theodore Roosevelt) and various industrialists debate whether tariffs genuinely help infant industries or merely enrich monopolistic trusts. The central joke: tariffs become a permanent "king" that never dies—once enacted, they persist indefinitely despite claims they're temporary measures. The play critiques how special interests use economic arguments to justify protectionist policies benefiting themselves over the public.