Life, 1910-03-24 · page 14 of 44
Life — March 24, 1910 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a scathing political cartoon mocking the immense wealth and power of **J.P. Morgan** (thinly disguised as "Pierpont First"). The satire portrays Morgan as a king being "crowned," with his brother-in-law **William Rockefeller** as supporting figure. The joke targets Morgan's dominance over American finance and politics. Key satirical points: - The Stock Exchange closing during his "coronation" and the nation losing "eighty millions" reflects how Morgan's financial decisions affected the entire economy - Congress and Senators pulling his chariot symbolizes their subservience to his wealth - The throne erected on the Stock Exchange floor suggests finance, not elected government, rules America - References to "the new palace" and treating him as literal royalty mock the oligarchic power of Gilded Age industrialists The cartoon critiques how wealthy monopolists like Morgan wielded near-governmental authority with minimal democratic accountability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"LIFE* Coronation of Pierpont First Weather Fair and Smiling, Evidently Under Divine Approval illiam, if Grover Cleveland had only lived to see OME events are so overpowering in their sense of dignity and their momentous consequences that the mind refuses to grasp them and thus falls back on some triviality. As His Majesty Pierpont First went down the aisle of St George's Church he turned and whispered to the First Lord of the Royal Treasury, William Rockefeller, who was sup- porting him: this day. This remark, coming from the silent king, will do doubt become famous. It is the one fact in our Day of Days. Dr. Parkhurst was to have officiated at the coronation, but his duties on the ng Journal prevented bim, The day dawned fair and cloudless. After the ceremony the procession moved to the steps of the Sub-Treasury, where the oath was administered. During the ceremony the Stock Exchange was temporarily closed and ‘every railroad in the country stopped running. The loss to the nation was esti- mated at cighty millions, but the new king generously made up the difference out of his own private purse, so that no embarrassment will be felt. The noble chariot in which His Majesty sat was drawn by all the Members of Congress and Senators, assisted by the former cabinet A temporary throne has been erected on the floor of the Stock Exchange until the new palace is completed. Vincent Gary, formerly of the Steel Trust, is pushing the completion of this gigantic building, which is to be the most magnificent edifice in the history of the world. All the children in the tenement district were given a holiday. ‘A most auspicious event, which occurred imme- diately after the coronation, at the first audience THE CORONATION comicbooks.com ae