Life, 1910-01-13 · page 21 of 36
Life — January 13, 1910 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"The New Dante" (top illustration):** This Dante-inspired image depicts a figure in white robes addressing a large crowd from an elevated platform, evoking Dante's descent through Hell's circles. The caption quotes Dante's *Inferno*, suggesting the cartoon satirizes a public figure or movement addressing masses, likely comparing their rhetoric to Dante's moral journey through damnation. **"Reforms and Reformers" (main text):** A cynical essay arguing that actual reforms succeed despite individual reformers, who often damage causes through ego and self-aggrandizement. The piece criticizes reformers as self-important, noting that genuine reforms occur naturally with changing conditions—individual reformers are unnecessary and counterproductive. **"Freedom from Its Mountainous Price Height":** This critiques Panama Canal funding ($400 million), distributed among citizens as taxes ($4-5 per person). The author sarcastically notes Americans unknowingly fund it "in the name of Liberty," while also paying for government waste, scandals (the Thaw trial), and millionaires' European trips. It's a biting commentary on hidden taxation and government excess.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Reforms and Reformers HE curious thing about reforms is that they go right along in spite of reformers. One of the worst things that can happen to a reform is to have it sup- ported by some reformer. That is why reformers are so often defeated at the polls. On the other hand, however, kill- ing a reformer does not stop at reform. ‘The reason is that reforms are neces- sary while reformers are not. Every day brings new conditions which compel us to reform our methods. But re- formers want to establish reforms before they become necessary, Reformers are wont gerated ego. Many a man has lived a useful life for years, all the time actively though unconsciously participating in re- forms. If, during those years, you had accused him of being to all intents and Purposes a reformer, he would have been insulted. But suddenly he sees what looks like a new light. He feels that he must become a reformer in name, and then, indeed, he becomes a reformer in name only. Alas! his usefulness is over. Reform as a_ profession broad a field for one human to have exag- is too being. THE NEW DANTE. “ From the first circle downward did we go Unto the second, which a smaller space Contains, but as much more of bitter woe.” Perhaps some day we shall have a Re- form Trust which will work out all right, but individuals never. Life is too short and one man is ¢oo small a percentage of the whole. Reformers may come and reformers may go, but reforms go on forever. Freedom from Its Mountainous Price Height HE cost of building the Panama Canal will be something less than $400,000,000. That is, according to pres- ent estimates. According to one paper this will amount to $4 or $5 a piece for every man, woman and child in the coun- try, or a family of five, will put from $20 to $25 into the canal. This is a fact. Yet it will be news to some people No man, woman or child can get away from it ach of us, without our own consent, is putting up the money. We are doing it unconsciously, without real- izing it, indirectly if you will, but we are doing it. There are a few other things that we are all paying for in the same way. We paid for all the money stolen by the sugar thieves. Those of us who live in New York and vicinity paid for the Thaw trial out of our own pockets. We pay for the European trips of most of our million- We pay for all the unnecessary We have aires. expenses of the government no choice. We do it, of course, in the name of Liberty—one hold up, united in graft, one and inseparable, now and forever. “ ELDERLY EMAN WANTS LopcInG’* comicbooks.com