Life, 1910-05-05 · page 33 of 72
Life — May 5, 1910 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the failure of Progressive-era trust-busting legislation. The main narrative mocks an administration that prefers "good nature" over actual enforcement against monopolistic trusts—depicting Congress, the Senate, and government departments as complacently complicit rather than genuinely regulating corporate power. "The Foolish Catechism" uses Q-and-A format to expose the logical absurdity: trusts are supposedly "wicked despots," yet they produce "congressmen" (implying bribery), and their ill-gotten wealth eventually becomes "charitable" when converted to philanthropic trusts, with the public portrayed as passive "objects of charity." The satire suggests that instead of breaking up monopolies, the government has reached a corrupt accommodation where trusts operate freely in exchange for performative "good nature" and public relations gestures. The cartoons mock governmental toothlessness against corporate power during the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE: 821 most pleasing and satisfactory one ever known in history?" “ Because, in spite of all criticisms, it is the one and only administration that is good natured in peace, good natured in war and good natured in the hearts of its countrymen.” “Very good. Your duties are now over. Meet me here to-morrow morning at the same time and we will continue these exercises.”” Everybody then wended his way good naturedly home, while all the good-natured editorial writers in the country wrote good-natured articles on the folly of being too courageous when you can cultivate instead the fine art of being good The Foolish Catechism Q. What is a trust? A. A trust is a wicked despot whose aim in life is to divert all the money in the country into his own pockets. Q. Does he succeed? A. No; but the trust is not to blame, Q. What does a trust produce? A. Many dainty and useful articles, such as oil, con- gressmen, beef, lawyers, steel, sugar and millionaires. Q. What are millionaires? A. They are the beneficiaries who afterwards serve as trustees. Q. What are the duties of the trustees? 5 A. To pray that he will live long enough to get rid of his money. The money is called a trust fund. Q. Then the trust is father of the fund? A. Yes. 5 Q. And the fund is returned to the people? A. Unquestionably. Q. Then the country becomes guardian of the fund and not only enjoys its companionship, but protects and cares for it because of her love for the fund's father, the trust? A. Yes; for the trust has now been converted into a genial philanthropist. Q. And the people? BUT THE ARTIST HELPED THE COON + A. Into objects of charity. Q. To whom, then, are we indebted for our many bene- Be prepared, O naughty trusts, to be good naturedly de- factions? nounced.”” A. To the trusty, trustworthy trust. WFR. This put every one at once in good humor. It was indeed a good-natured family party. “Who says we are not all harmonious? "’ asked the Sugar Trust, with a sly wink at the Good-Natured One. Look me! I got itin the neck, but [don’t mind. Laugh it off, eh? “That's it,” said the Good-Natured One. “That's the way I like to hear you talk, Hello, here comes Congress and the Senate,” Congress and the Senate started to file solemnly in, but when they saw the good-natured grin on every one’s face they realized and grinned too, Then the little state depart- ments came tagging after, each one shaking its sides merrily as it had been taught. Finally, everybody was there, and there was a grand chorus of general approval. “What are we here for?’ asked the Good-Natured One as he looked around him at the grand sight. “To be good natured.” “In spite of what?” “In spite of a free press, high prices and African im- ports."’ “Good! Let us all shake sides.” Everybody shook sides in chorus. “And now answer the following question as you have DOING OVER A BAD Jon been duly taught. Why is the present administration the “T Christen Thee a Nu" comicbooks.com