Life, 1910-05-05 · page 15 of 72
Life — May 5, 1910 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily an advertisement for Makaroff Russian Cigarets, presented as a testimonial from the cigarette manufacturer. The central figure is the unnamed businessman/manufacturer who claims to have revolutionized the cigarette industry through honest marketing rather than humbug. The satire targets both cigarette advertising practices and American consumer culture. The manufacturer claims Americans are exploited with inferior products, yet he alone discovered Russians smoke "natural" cigarets without developing "cravings" or nervousness. This is ironic: he's actually using the same manipulative marketing tactics he claims to reject—appealing to vanity and sophistication while making unverifiable health claims. The page also contains unrelated content: a "Questions of a Coroner" joke section (wordplay on Broadway play titles) and travel advertisements for Holland. The Kosmeo Cream ad at top left is similarly dubious beauty product marketing of the era. The implicit joke: even "honest" advertising still exploits consumer insecurities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OSMES creates asun-godwind- ice. proof complexion. at all dealers or by mail. Sam- pe, of Kosmeo Cream, Kosmeo Face ‘Mire. Gervaise Graham, 1495 Michigan Ave., Chicago. Expert Testimony Human nature, we take it, is pretty much the same in the West as it is here. Suffrage for women is based on purely human considerations, and in our part of the country the argu- ments on both sides are based on pure theory. In the West they have some practical knowledge, drawn from ac- tual experience. An ounce of this is worth pounds of theorizing, and from that point of view this testimony from Idaho, where women’s suffrage is a act, is at least interesting : The whole question of women's suf- frage is a joke, and Lire seems to have realized the fact. It is absurd to claim that the votes of women are needed to uplift civic or national life. The women can do that in their own homes by rais- ing children with the fear of God in their hearts and honor for their pargnts. When a marricd woman gets out to hustle for female franchise it is a cer- tainty that she is neglecting duties nearer home. There always was great promise of the wonderful things that would happen when the franchise was extended to women, but after the decade of experience in various States and colo- nies it is perfectly clear that the result is absolutely nil—Lewiston, Idaho, Tel- ler Questions of a Coroner Who is dead? The Merry Widow. How old was she? Ninety and Nine How did she die? The Easiest Way. Where did she die? Forty-five Min- vtes from Broadway. When did she die? At the Witching Hour What made her linger? hting Hope Who found her first? The Servant in the House. Who got her jewels? The Thief What did the news spread like? Wild- fire. SIDE TRIP§ THROUGH PICTURESQUE HOLLAND TILE WONDERLAND OF EUROPE nom LONDON | ware Arte PROM &S% Start Anytime { 3 Days FROM BERLIN JS From Anywhere 7 3 pay New Palace Steamers England to Holland. via Flsshing, ‘Largest und Fastest crowsing the Channel Write for Beautiful Dooklete ond lineraries showing every detail ‘of delightful rors €, BAKKER, General Amertean Agent Netherland State ‘Rys—Flushing Royal Mail Reste 5 Broadway New York AA —_.. Barnum said the publicliked to be humbugged. I never believed it. I've brought a good many businesses to suc- cess on the other basis. The Makaroff Cigaret business is one of them. I said eight years ago that the American public was tired of being exploited on cigarets. Iwas tired of ft, and had been for quite a while, and Lam just a good average person, with enough human nature in me to be very much like eighty millions of my neighbors. Thave enough faithinmy neighbors, too, to believe they are mostly natural- born connoixseurs—ence they ore siven a chance to discriminate, AndI've proven it. No other people on earth are as keen for the best of everything as the Americans—and no other country has been so consistently given the worst of it on a lot of things. Tam acigaret manufacturer only because I was first acigaret smoter and I got tired of smoking the stuff that was offered to intelligent smokers in this country. I wanted a cigaret that Icould smoke all day if I felt like it, without de- veloping a’craving.” or inducing the nervousness or depression that follows the use of ordinary cigarets. 1 found such cigarets in Russia, where every> body smokes cigarets all the time, and in the other Continental countries, where acerybody smokes Russian cigarets. I imported them for a long time, but It was difficult to keep enough on hand to supply myself and my friends—(and my friends multiplied pretty rapidly through these cigarets.) T acquired the knowledge, the right, and the workmen, to duplicate these cigareta in America, and I em duplicating them, edselutely. ‘The reason for the difference between these cigarets and others lies. mostly in a difference in the manufacturer's point of view. Ihave always believed that if we produced the quality, the pub- lic would produce the sales. And that faith has been justified. MAKAROFF RUSSIAN CIGARETS are just like Makaroff advertising—good, honest, straightforward stuff. We have now introduced th. goods so thoroughly to dealers that you can get them almost anywhere in the best cigar stores. hotels. cafes. di,n cals ete. Any dealer who hasn't got them can get them quickly from his local jobber. If he doesn't want (0, we supply you promptly, by mail. on receipt of the dealer's name and address, or simply his address, 80 that we may investigate his reason for refusal. If you do not like these cigarets at the first trial, remember that they are mighty different from what you are accustomed to, and that the diference is all in your favor. Take time to get alittle used to them and you will find out just what’ we mean. Makaroffs are absolutely pure, clean, sweet, mild tobacco, antouched by anything whatever to give them artificial flavor, sweetness, or to make them burn. You will find that you can smoke as many as you want of them without any of the nervouness, depression or “craving” that follows the use of ordinary cigarets. Pure tobacco won't hurt you. You may not be used toit, and you may not like the first Makaroff, but you'll like the second one better, and you'll stick to Makarofls forever if you once give them a fair chance. We have built this business on quality in the goods and intelligence in the smoker—a combination that simply can't lose. We waited quite a while, but it has won in our case and won big. The result is, that "This is a Makaroff year—nearly everybody smokes them now" Makarofis are 15 cents and a quarter in boxes of ten. $1.50 to $6.00 for 100'e. At At Mail address, 95 Mik Street—Boston, Mass. = Did she leave any family? Yes. What military company acted as pa'l- Three Twins. bearers? The Boys of Co. B. Who came from Europe to attend her Who assisted in lifting the coffin? funeral? Miss Hook of Holland. Samson. How the news sent. Via Wire- Who furnished the music? The less Music Master. Who spread the news? The Traveling Was the undertaker paid? Yes. Paid Salesman. in Full Were there any well known people What did they pay him with? Brew- there? Yes. The Yankee Prince. sicr’s Millions. Who prayed for her? Salvation Nell. at was it? The Talk of the Town. Where was she buried? Fifty Miles Where did she go to? The Devil— from Boston. Columbia News. comicbooks.com