Life, 1910-06-02 · page 52 of 56
Life — June 2, 1910 — page 52: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **two distinct pieces**: ## Main Article: Construction Bond Stationery Advertisement A commercial pitch (with satirical framing) explaining why ordering stationery directly from Construction Bond costs less than through traditional jobbers. The text argues that middlemen add unnecessary labor costs and profit margins without improving quality. This is straightforward advertising dressed in educational language—not political satire. ## "From Our Readers" Letter A more substantive piece: Willis Bruce Dowd writes to *Life* about **ticket scalpers at New York theaters** (dated May 10, 1910). He describes how speculators buy theater tickets in bulk and resell them at inflated prices, and how the city's legal system fails to stop this practice. Despite complaints to authorities, no remedy exists because the "Theatre Trust" (likely the theatrical monopoly controlling venues) and speculators wield too much power. The letter criticizes both the speculators' "nuisance" and government's inability or unwillingness to enforce regulation—a reform-minded complaint about unchecked private-sector exploitation typical of the Progressive Era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: Why fine business stationery costs less The: matter was then ald belore the Corporation Counsel, with the result when produced on Construction Bond | fejrcrsismdsl mam co 3 Pp People vs. Marks decided that the s : lators were not required to have licenses, We replied that we were not talking about licenses, but nuisances. The question whether a speculator can be punished for selling tickets without a license is as far away from the question whether the speculators con nuisance by crowding the siden swindling the public thereon North Pole is from the South The speculators are not required to licenses, perhaps, but that does not that they are permitted to constitute a nuisance. But the oracle of the law had spoken. My client found, as many others have found, that nobody in : . : : authority will raise a hand st thes f I HE picture shows the reason. — Construction Bond is sold and de- | speculations: Wey beers that fe livered direct to printers and lithographers only in case lots of 500 theatres and the speculators together wield a power which is greater that of any individual in the city of lbs. or more. Other fine bond papers are sold thru jobbers in any quantity ; the jobber frequently sells and delivers 500 Ibs. in 20 Ib. packages to as New York, and that itis tdle tors many as 25 different printers. Look at the picture. Consider the extra body who has been swindled by these labor and expense in handling paper this Way, and also the jobber’s profit. speculators, or is likely to be, to hoy for any prevention or redress from any They add nothing to quality. Yet these expenses and profits are neces- sures whaterer a the Brcacat tie ily 4 ce Vi ep ines ee ere al es a Some day public opinion will force a sarily added to the price you pay for finished stationery—unless you order semedy, bar‘not sow. All tnevediy it on Construction Bond. Then you will secure impressive stationery— ii the Times and other newspapers.-a on a paper possessing unusual strength, bone and character—at a price the proposed legistation at Albany to regulate the traffic, are all waste, except that makes it usable in quantities. Yes, with CONSTRUCTION as they inay help to bring on the be envelopes to match, too. when somebody in authority in 1 criminal or civil department of 0 local government will wake up to the ity of striking a death blow at this continuing offence. BOND Yours very truly, Wittis Bruce Down. > Write us on your business letterhead for our handsome free portfolio Besa the Price of 25 Specimen Letterheads on Construction Bond, and name of printers and lithographers in your vicinity who can supply it. W. E. Wroe & Co., 300 Michigan Boulevard, Chicago a class, profit through the speculators, and New Yorx City, May 10, 1910 From Our Readers they will not interfere. a“ plained (Continued from page 1039) ‘the Theatre Trust. We stated the case ma Let us plan i to him. It will be interesting to the i to read what he said. whee ow look here,” said he, half stand- “hae ; yo ur leaning upon his desk in his 2 V. ° and in the most noncha- y t ‘ lant air, “there is not the slightest | =~ acation doubt that these speculators are a nui ; eerie sance. The police, under the authority 0 . the District 4 a p them in NewEngland Seashore Saratoga Springs five minutes. The Corporation Couns ; The Adirondack Mountains Thousand Islands could put the screws on them in next to } : : ° ° no time, if he wanted to do it. We all 4 Lakes George and Champlain, or in the Berkshire Hills know these facts. But say, suppose you { Reached from all directions by the fast through trains of the were in the hat business over across e the street on Broadway, and you filled \ your house up every morning with hats, ew Tor entra. mes and before cight o'clock a fellow came “For the Public Service’’ around and bought every hat you had at ii 7 * wha a F you will tell us the number in your party, the length of time and amount of your price; what the devil would you money you desire your holiday to embrace, whether you want continuous traveling say or care if you found that fellow re- | Or not, and give some idea of your taste rearding surroundings, amasements, tailing those hats on the sidewalk, and : <" plats information AGM everybody in the city was kicking be- New York Central Lines Travel Bureau cause he was doing it?’’ at Brana Central va galle Street Here he took a big pull at his cigar, me i zs ‘Terminal Station, and puffed a large volume of smoke out i NewYork Chicago of his complacent mouth. We withdrew. The interview was over. The matter was understood. The theatres, as a comicbooks.com