Life, 1910-05-05 · page 32 of 72
Life — May 5, 1910 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satire mocks an administration—likely Theodore Roosevelt's, given references to trusts and forest preserves—for prioritizing superficial pleasantness over substantive governance. The "Good-Natured One" demands that everyone around him constantly smile and appear content, regardless of circumstances or criticism. The joke is that this obsession with maintaining a cheerful facade becomes absurd: the president wants to hire only perpetually smiling servants, complains that the tariff "scarcely smiled," and forces his Cabinet to laugh on command. The trusts (large corporations) arrive and effortlessly shake with laughter, suggesting they're complicit in or untreatened by the administration's supposedly reformist stance. The satire implies the administration uses friendly rhetoric and optics to mask inaction on genuine problems—rising prices, unchecked trusts, public discontent. "Good nature" becomes a tool for avoiding accountability rather than addressing real issues.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
820 The Good-Natured Administration T was morning in Washington. The Good-Natured One at the head of affairs motioned to his private secretary, who good naturedly handed him the following advertisement to be good naturedly inserted in the daily papers: Waxtep—Good-natured kitchen-maid to work for a large family. Must always be smiling and pleasant, no matter what is said about her in the papers. Address, etc “That will do,’? said the Good-Natured One, “and, by the way, while I think of it, I noticed that the chauffeur, while 1 was out with him yesterday, scarcely smiled. Better get an- other—one who weighs at least two hundred. My boy, I must be surrounded by good-natured people. It’s necessary to my peace of mind.” “Very well, sire arrived.”” “Have them disposed around the house and grounds How is the tariff this morning?” “Very good, sire.” “The last time it was ushered into my august presence it scarcely smiled. This won't do. I won't have a large tariff around me that isn’t good natured. What did the papers say about me yesterday?" Said you were too compliant.” “Ha! Ha! 1 must practice a good-natured laugh when ever that occurs. You understand? Everbody must get the habit.” Yes, sire.”” “Show in the Cabinct.”” The members of the Cabinet filed solemnly in noticed. The consignment of Cheshire cats has This was eral owt “Do YEZ MANE T’ TELL ME THAT OULD SKATE IAS A THRACK RECORD? ** HIM AN’ HIS MATE DONE A MOILE . “TIN MIN UTES WID A CAR PULL 0" PASSENGERS."” “GOLLY, I'LL GET DAT CooN—"’ “ Gentlemen,”* said the Good. tured One, “don't let this occur again. You must not file in solemnly, but good natur- edly. Smile and the world smiles with you—that’s my motto. Come, let us now discuss good naturedly the forest preserves, the trusts and the state of public feeling toward a third term.” The Cabinet was plainly uneasy. It wasn’t used to being so good natured. It smiled and managed to laugh a feeble ha, ha. “Try again, gentlemen. Remember, everybody will be discharged who isn’t good natured. By the way, prices are going up to-day, as usual?’ “As usual “Ha! Ha! I shake my sides. shake sides.”” The Cabinet made a feeble attempt to shake its sides. “And how are my favorite trusts this morning—the ones that I am particularly anxious to whack—good naturedly, of course? Show them all in. The door was opened and all the nice trusts now came in They were large and fat and sleck, and had no trouble in shaking their sides. This put the Good-Natured One in splendid humor. “Hal! he exclaimed. “That's the way. No matter what is going to happen to you, be good natured about it, eh? Now what shall I do to you all this morning? Denounce you? Everybody will kindly comicbooks.com