Life, 1910-03-03 · page 33 of 80
Life — March 3, 1910 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes President William Howard Taft's administration through a dialogue between a *Life* magazine editor and Taft himself. The cartoon trio on the right uses map imagery to mock Taft's policies: "US" (United States), "TRUS" (Trust), and "TRUSTS" shows Uncle Sam shrinking while trusts grow—criticizing his failure to aggressively combat monopolies as his predecessor Theodore Roosevelt had done. The dialogue mocks Taft as an ineffectual figurehead who accomplishes nothing meaningful. The chameleon story (a creature that changes colors to blend in) is a direct insult: Taft changes positions to please everyone, standing for nothing. The satire targets his tariff policy and the "sugar frauds" scandal. Taft's circular logic about gold being cheaper therefore revenues being cheaper is absurdist humor—nonsensical reasoning that highlights his incompetence. References to "Aldrich" (likely Senator Nelson Aldrich, a conservative Republican) suggest Taft is merely following others' directives rather than leading independently.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE* Sanctum Talks “You believe in Aldrich, don’; you I swear by him.” OOD morning, Lire. “Good! And you are trying to please everybody, aren't “Why, how are you, Mr. you?”” President? Delighted to see you. “Certainly. That's what I am here for.” Sit down.” “ Fine idea, Mr. President. Reminds me of the chameleon “Thanks. I came in to ask you the little boy had."* how you liked my admin- “What was that istration, as far as it has “Oh, only a foolish little story I once heard.”* “Dear me, I am interested. What happened?" od gracious! What an “Why, little Willie’s father brought him home a chameleon embarrassing question! Espe- "for a pet—one of those little animals that changes its color.’” cially as the pleasure of your “Changes its color! Ob, yes, I remember.” society is of more conse- “Well the boy played with the chameleon happily for a quence than any hum. ble opinion on our part."" “But I really want to know.”? “Haven't you your- self stated that you are only a figurehsad? "* “Yes— “And how well you do it! There! Is that an opin- ion?” “But, my dear Live, that doesn’t answer my question. To be an ideal figurehead may be just what is wanted in a President.”” “Oh, yes, I realize that. Still, you know, it can be carried too far. You can rub it in.” “And you think—" “T refuse to think about it, Mr. Taft. Since the last ad- ministration I am only just beginning to recover conscious- ness. “Now, Lire, that’s only your little joke. Be serious and tell me honestly what you think of me." “T think you are an awfully nice man.”’ “What are you trying to do—insult me?” “Weil, then, I think you are an honest man.” “Worse and worse. Can't you give me a real opinion?” “TL might, Mr. Taft, if I knew what you had really ac complished.”” “Well, there are the sugar frauds.”” “Dear me, yes, Everybody scared except those who got the money.”* “And there’s the tariff.” “Tariff! Seems to me I have heard that word before. Have we a tariff?” “Oh, yes. Quite a considerable one.” “Wasn't it reduced shortly after you came in, in ac- cordance with your promise? ”* “Oh, certainly!” And that, I believe, accounts for the low prices of every- thing “Now, Lire. I am glad that you mentioned that, as you have evidently the popular misconception that a tariff has anything to do with prices. I assure you it hasn't.” “And that is why, Mr. President, you felt that you could reduce it, in accordance with your promises beforchand? You are sure, by the way, that it has been reduced?" “Ob, certainly. You sce, it is this way: Gold is cheaper. All revenues must be paid in gold. Therefore revenues are cheaper.”” “T hadn't thought of that."* “ Perfectly plain, isn't it? Aldrich told me, so T know it must be so."? comicbooks.com