Life, 1909-09-02 · page 17 of 48
Life — September 2, 1909 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes President Taft's tariff policy through multiple angles: **"Sincerity"**: The main political cartoon mocks Taft's claim that the Payne tariff bill represented genuine tariff *reduction*. The page juxtaposes Taft's statement against a reform advocate's criticism that tariffs have continuously *increased*, enriching the wealthy while impoverishing workers. The final quip—"You can see right through him"—suggests Taft's sincerity is transparent hypocrisy. The "sincere drunkard" reference implies Taft claims moderation while continuing excess behavior. **"Taxes and Luxuries"**: A sardonic piece questioning whether millionaires and their heirs constitute "luxuries" subject to taxation—implicitly criticizing the tariff's protection of the wealthy. **Side pieces**: "She Backed Out," "Poor Woman," and other vignettes are unrelated social humor, typical of Life's mixed-content format. The page's core message: Taft presented the tariff as reform while actually maintaining protectionist policies favoring the wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sincerity More than a century has elapsed and yet our tariff has constantly increased until now half our revenue is collected from our imports alone. . . . That half is taken for the most part directly from ‘the producing class, which it iepovertthes: to enrich the protected, who may properly called our slave owners. . . ‘AI appeals for a revision and a reduction of the tariff are like appeals to inebriates not to drink to excess. John Bigelow to the New York Reform Club. I have signed the Payne tariff bill because I believe it to be the result of a sincere effort on the part of the Republican party to make a downward revision. —H'm H. Taft. sg time ago an American humorist invented the term “Sincere drunkard.” Perhaps be had in mind the situation that has just risen. We agree with the gentleman who said that it was hard to get around President Taft.—News and Courier. You don’t have to get around him. You can see right through him. One. swallow does not make a fall. ~LTPE- Alliterative Aphorisms Miteiace men meek Happy hearts est hopes Weeping women are oft most winsome, Man, maid make matrimony Pessimists picture pleasures pernicious plagues. Divers dark deeds drive di rectly to divorce decrees. Love lights the lamps that il lume the line of life. Saints, unlike sinners, shun society to scek solitude. Alimony alleviates the ail- ments attendant. upon altered attachments. makes most harbor high- and moonlight Vance C. Criss. Taxes and Luxuries T seems to be a well settled principle that things which “may be treated as luxuries” are “proper subjects of a rev- enue tariff.’’ The quotations are from Mr. Taft's apology for the new tariff bill In deciding upon an income tax, therefore, the only real point at issue is whether our millionaires are luxuries. Could we get along without them or do we need them in our business? Again, as to inheritance taxes, aré the children of our millionaires luxuries or are they necessary as horrible ex- Poor Woman AM so sorry for Mrs Flite,"" says the lady with the display of coral rings “She is so unhappy since she came home from her summer trip. You know she left her husband at home alone all sum- mer.” “AL” significantly breathes the lady with the two-dollar barrette. “And did he carouse around and do things he shouldn't? These men! "* “That's why she is unhap- py."’ explains the other lady “He behaved himself, and she was so in hopes she might have a chance to get a divorce this fall.”" ery SEE ANYTHING OF THE ENEMY? “AYE, AVE, SIR. A THREE-MAST VESSEL ON THE STARBOARD BOW,”” She Backed Out ba HAT decided her not to get a divorce?" “There was another woman in the hotel willing to take her husband as soon as the decree was made absolute.” Kindly Old Gentleman: 18 tMat your boc? “yes, sir.” “WHAT KIND OF DOG 18 HE? “ye'S WHITE WITH BROWN sprors.”” comicbooks.com