Life, 1909-09-30 · page 19 of 32
Life — September 30, 1909 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon:** The "Justice" verse satirizes tariff legislation. "Aldrich" and "Payne" refer to politicians Nelson Aldrich and Sereno Payne, who shaped early 1900s tariff policy. The joke mocks how they manipulated tariffs to benefit wealthy financiers while claiming to serve justice. **Main Feature:** "Diary of Hendrik Hudson" is a satirical pseudo-historical account reimagining explorer Hudson's 1609 arrival in modern New York. It mocks contemporary urban problems—corrupt customs officials, Standard Oil monopolies, desperate cab drivers, rude conductors, and price-gouging. Hudson faces constant exploitation, violence, and chaos, suggesting New York has become a lawless, predatory city worse than colonial wilderness. The satire critiques urban corruption and unchecked capitalism. **"Pitiless Morality":** This brief piece attacks moral censorship, arguing that excessive book banning (referencing "Together" and other works) destroys literature's value. It defends literary merit over puritanical restrictions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FVD Wa em Justice UST a little Aldrich, Just a little Payne, Fixes up the tariff For financiers again Diary of Hendrik Hudson (As It Might Have Been) ONDAY: Attempted to land at Battery. Was knocked down and searched by several villains, who after- wards proved ta be Custom House of- ficers. Sprang overboard and escaped to ship. Tuesday: Made a on Staten Island. Oil mosquitoes bluff at landing tacked by Standard Barely escaped with my life. Wednesday: Entered lower Twenty- ird street, entirely alone and unpro- cted, Was beset by a hansom-cab driver who hadn't had a job for three months and who was desperate. Ap- pealed to policeman, who upheld drive Was about to be carried away bodily when cab broke down and I jumped over- board again. Rested quietly until nine o'clock, when I was towed out to sea by a New York tug and held up for towage. Amount, three hundred dollars. Paid it and started back determined to ex- plore country if possible. Thursday: Landed in Harlem. At- tempted to board a surface car. Con- ductor couldn't change a hundred-dollar Hudson: come oN, kip, LET’S ROLL bill, so kept it. needed the Broadway. Was clubbed aln by a Friendly took me in and, by changing clothes, I got away z : Hid myself in a trunk and at- tempted to get transferred across pack from their va Said that Thomas Ryan money. Landed in upper ost to death chorus policeman girl People comi ations and [ got Have been lost for hours, and with- out food, except wich and a pound of breakfast food Il die if 1 don't get nourish- Later: Was broken open by a ge man in Grand Central, who thought I belonged to a lady who hadn't tipped him. Ran all way to river, jumped in and made ed up with the others. restaurant sand- ship. Saturday: Have seen all I want of “little old New York,’ as they call it, and shall make desperate efforts to away to-day. unday (off Fire Island): away, after losing all my valuables Expect to pass rest of my life in a sanitarium. Just wait until I try to discover another civilized country! Pitiless Morality HE Moloch of morality is hard to appease. Not content with the immolation of art by the in- terdict laid on such books as Her- rick’s “ Together,”” it must needs go FoR THE DRINKS further and exact th shelf and nutshell Progress" John Bunyan was an extraordi n every five-foot library“ Pilgrim's and “ Rasselas "’ shall have place nary tinker, and Dr, Johnson, with the swell, could make cant more but is t help of or less diverting ; why we should k mush is literature ? ep on insisting t THE OWL AND THE PUSSY CAT comicbooks.com