Life, 1910-01-06 · page 42 of 76
Life — January 6, 1910 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **William Loeb**, likely the U.S. Collector of Customs, who aggressively inspected returning American travelers' luggage for smuggled goods. The poem "Gentle William Loeb, My Dear" (parodying Tennyson) humorously presents a wealthy traveler's complaint: he's purchased fine European goods (London coats, Paris gowns, ermine) and fears Loeb's customs agents will ransack his trunks, yet he protests he's smuggling nothing of value—no industrial materials that would benefit "big United Steal" (monopolies). The satire mocks both the overzealous customs enforcement and the era's class tensions: the wealthy expect special treatment while ordinary commerce faces scrutiny. The bottom section, "Nicaragua and Nature's Law," references U.S. intervention in Nicaragua under President Zelaya, suggesting America suspends natural laws regarding weaker nations, implying imperialist double standards. The cartoons along the margins depict the customs inspection chaos.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i be te a oan SE GOING IN AND COMING OUT Gentle William Loeb, My Dear (Tennyson doesn’t care.) G \TLE WILLIAM LOEB, my dear, I'm coming back to Gotham Town; I wear a London overcoat, My wife has bought a Paris gown; Our Antoinette displays a set Of ermine-bordered Persian lamb. Ob, let us keep our pretty things! They would not fit your Uncle Sam! Honest William Loeb, I fear Your myrmidons in brass and blue Whose harpy talons clutch and curve To search our luggage through and through That ruffian rout will empty out The trunks I toiled so long to pack, And strew their contents wide about; How shall I ever get them back! Mighty William Loeb, see here! My heart is clean of base I haven't any gems or pearls, (See “ Sundries—N.""), at ten per cent, No girders, rails, nor wire nails, No anchor, shafting, chain or wheel To violate the private graft Of any big United Steal! Nicaragua and Nature’s Law What kind of a scrape is this administration getting into down in Nicaragua’—Springfield Republican. F you expect an answer from us you'll have to wait. We don't make out yet how it is all coming out. We are not favorably impressed with President Zelaya’s character or deportment He could hardly be worse spoken of if he were running for Mayor of New York on the Tam- many ticket and making his own speeches William, William Loeb, appear! To save my tattered self-respect ! 1 bring no timber, hewn or squared— The Lumber Barons can't object. I pack no coal, nor any roll Of cotton, wool or linen. Why, The statues on your Custom House Are not more innocent than I! Modest William Loeb, give car!— I've traveled leagues across the foam; Is this a Governmental spree To bid the Native, “ Welcome home "'? With crucl scorn my clothing’s torn Away, and held in proof of guilt ;— Oh. give my trousers back to me!— I never learned to wear a kilt! Heed me, William Loeb: 'Tis clear Your little job is aught but fun, And men have honored, far and near, The cleansing work your zeal has done Then make the Smuggler bite the dust, And give the Briber cause for woe; € vengeance on the Sugar Trust, But let the simple Tourist go! Arthur Guiterman And there is always this to say about Nicar agua and the other Central American republics and some of their nearby South American neigh bors. In regard to them we have suspended the laws of nature. Nature’s laws provide for the disappearance of the unfit. Nature's laws as applied to politics provide for the absorption or domination of nations of incapacity by na- tions of capacity; for the government of nations that cannot govern themselves by stronger nations that can either govern them or eat them * comicbooks.com