Life, 1910-03-31 · page 29 of 46
Life — March 31, 1910 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page critiques New York City's reputation for rudeness under Mayor Gaynor's administration (early 1910s). The article argues New York isn't inherently rude—rather, **poor urban conditions** (crowded public transportation, automobile congestion, daily rushing) create incivility. The solution lies in infrastructure improvements like more subways, not moral reform. The secondary piece mocks food safety reformer Harvey Wiley's proposal to ostracize convicted food adulterators from "ethical, moral and polite society"—the satirical point being that no such virtuous society actually exists to exclude them from. The cartoon labeled "The Usual Question" depicts two working-class men confronting a woman with two unescorted young men, threatening violence unless they behave respectfully. The irony: the "protectors" themselves exemplify the brutal, aggressive behavior the article attributes to poor urban conditions rather than inherent character flaws.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: 569 The “ Insolence * of New York R. F. HOPKINSON SMITH is quoted as saying that New York is “the most insolent city on the face of the globe. Perhaps so, but Mayor Gaynor's administration has only just be- gun. One of the new mayor's specialties is manners. He hopes to make us all, including all the cops, respect the laws that-define and protect the personal rights of everybody. If New York is the most insolent city it is because it is the most tried city. No other city that we know of has so difficult a problem of public transportation or is so far behind in its solution. Daily crowding is bad for manners. Hurry is bad for them. Too many automobiles urging folks to step lively are not'good for them Itis rather the conditions of life that are insolent in New York than the people. The people are very much like other people. In Boston they might soon come to be as polite as the Boston folks. Conditions in New York call for exceptional patience, good temper, and consideration of the rights and comfort of others. No more than ordinary behavior is forthcoming, and that is not good cnough to mect the daily emergency. Some day there will be a lot more subways. That will help manners, and possibly Mayor Gaynor will help, too. Good Suggestion, But— R. HARVEY WILEY, of the United States Bureau of Chemistry, has suggested ostracism for convicted food adulterators. He said they should be set “ outside the pale of cthical, moral and polite society.” A few years ago President Hadley made the same recommendation for a similar set of malefactors. In the abstract it is a splendid suggestion, but the difficulty is to find the “ ethical, moral and polite society.”” HERE is more joy over one sheep that is shorn than over ninety and nine unfleeced. THE USUAL QUESTION “DON’T THINK THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO ESCORT YOU CAN BE BRUTAL TO THESE YOUNG MEN, OR YOU’LL HAVE me To DEAL WITH.” comicbooks.com