Life, 1910-06-02 · page 19 of 56
Life — June 2, 1910 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **railroad company overreach and monopolistic practices** in the early 20th century. The main narrative concerns a passenger named Wicket who challenges a Pullman Car Company conductor's arbitrary rule requiring payment for a seat upgrade. The satire targets corporate abuse of power: when Wicket refuses to pay an extra 75 cents for a seat he believes should cost one dollar, the company physically removes him to a cheaper car rather than negotiate. Wicket then sues, framing this as extortion—charging inflated rates for seats allegedly "unavailable" unless passengers pay premiums. The judge's charge to the jury presents the core complaint: companies monopolistically control seat allocation and exploit passengers by claiming seats aren't guaranteed, then charging excessive premiums for what should be standard service at fixed tariffs. The cartoon below (showing a passenger preferring steerage to forward cabins) reinforces the theme: even the cheapest accommodations feel safer than dealing with corporate manipulation. This reflects Progressive Era concerns about **unchecked corporate monopolies** overcharging captive customers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Whose rule? “The company's rule.’ “Who gave the company permission to make such a rule?” The conductor was getting slightly ir ritable. “It’s none of my the rule,’” he said. at.** “Quite right,"* said ahead and inforce it fice cents—all 1 shall p: “You will have to get out of that seat."* “You will have to put me out. The two conductors had a conference. In a few moments they came back. “Tam sorry,"’ said the Pullman con- ductor, but — “Iam not sorry,’ replied Wicket. “I am glad of it. I applaud your sense of duty. You are only carrying out orders I shall not move from this seat unless 1 am forced to. All you necd to do is to carry me into the other car and deposit me there. I shall not resist."” “ But— “It is the only way I will go.”" Two porters were called and, putting their arms around Wicket, they lifted him up, carried him through the train and put him in a seat in the common coach. For their service he gave them cach a tip On his arrival in town Wicket saw his lawyer, and in a few days the N.Y, N. H & H.R. R. and the Pullman Car Com pany were served with papers in a suit for damages. The case jury. Evidence having been heard on both sides, the judge presented the following charge, necessarily abbreviated, but con- taining the essential points : “It appears that the plaintiff was noti- fied beforehand that the rate would be one dollar, according to the testimony of the business who made “I'm here to inforce Wicket. “Go Here's seventy- was tried before a Federal ticket agent. On the other hand, on cross examination it was brought out that he himself called attention to the discrepancy in price. If, gentlemen, you regard this Passenger: SOMEMOW I ALWAYS FEEL EASIER TRAVELING STEER- AGE THAN TOO FAR FORWARD. “WHERE SHALL WE “LET'S WAIT TILL EUROPE COMES KOUND. LAND? as being a monopoly on the part of the company, then you will proceed upon the ground that the company virtually re- quired the plaintiff to engage a scat from Providence to New York, although he was actually going only from New London. This is in its nature an extortion. On the other hand the company claims, and rightly so, that it makes no guarantee of a Pullman seat from any station, and can only furnish seats to passengers who present themselves when such seats are vacant. It follows, therefore, that the passenger must either take his chances at the regular rate or be willing to pay more for a special privilege. But you must also care- fully consider whether any corporation has the right to im- pose a greater charge, for any purpose whatsoever, than the fixed tariff between two points, no matter what the outside circumstances may be. The company may properly refuse to reserve seats ahead. But once Ict them do this it remains for 7 f comicbooks.com