Life, 1910-08-04 · page 21 of 44
Life — August 4, 1910 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* contains three distinct editorial pieces satirizing American politics circa 1912. **"Pay Governors What They Are Worth"** argues that New York's gubernatorial salary ($10,000) is inadequate, citing Collector Loeb's reluctance to leave a $12,000 Federal position. The piece advocates doubling the governor's pay to attract capable leaders rather than "poor men." **"Money"** offers philosophical commentary on wealth, distinguishing between those who use money for physical wellbeing versus those who become mentally dependent on it—the latter becoming incapable of other pursuits. **"Hearst Against the Field"** mocks William Randolph Hearst's newspaper (*American*) for opposing Wilson's presidential candidacy. The satire notes Hearst is hostile toward numerous political figures (Gaynor, Roosevelt, Murphy) and suggests his contrarian stance—opposing both major party frontrunners—might paradoxically benefit him politically, with the 1912 election still two years away. The cartoon "Held by the Enemy" appears to illustrate a dramatic scene, though its specific political relevance is unclear from the visible context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pay Governors What They Are Worth E read that Collector Loeb, being consulted as to his willingness to run for Governor of New York, repines at the notion that he should be asked to leave a twelve-thousand-dollar Federal salary that he can live on for the ten- thousand-dollar salary on which Gov- ernor Hughes has not been able to make both ends meet. It ought to be possible in New York State to negotiate with possible candi- dates for Governor on some new fiscal basis. No doubt it would better suit the majority of the present New York Leg- islature never to have a Governor who is worth more than five thousand dollars a But the State needs a very much more expensive man than that, and it is preposterous that it should not be ready to pay him a salary that would bear at least a respectful relation to his expenses if not to his carning powers. For nearly a hundred years poor men who have been besought to run for Governor of New York have dreaded that office because the pay was not enough to li on as a Governor must live. It has been increased repeatedly, but now again has fallen behind the times and ought to be doubled at the next session of the Legis- lature. The importance of the office has very much increased in the last twelve years, and it is held in higher consideration than it has been for a good while past. That is interesting, and is probably true of governorships in general. All the States just now lean heavier than they did on their Governors and lighter on their Legislatures. They are all, ap- parently, getting tired of State Govern- ment for the benefit of politicians and political pets and persons with pull They want a fairer deal, they rely more than they did on the executive to get it for them, and they realize that they need able workers for Governors. Our statesmen in New York cannot well be empowered to ask suitable per- sons what they would take to serve as Governor, but it is absurd that such a State as New York should be deprived of the services of men that it needs be- cause they can’t afford to work for what the State legislators are willing to pay. year. Money EOPLE who have money are divided into two classes: Those who de- pend upon money physically and those who depend upon it mentally and physi- cally. When people who have money d pend upon it physically alone, they use MELD BY THE ENEMY in the right way. It furnishes them with means to preserve their health and pro- vides them with a bulwark against worry. They recognize that this is all that money can do for them and treat it accordingly. The people who depend upon moncy mentally are in a bad way. As a means of cultivating the mind money has only the appearance of being useful. The use of it for this purpose is like a bad habit. After a while the victim becomes in- capable of taking anything else. T. L. M. Mere Men I dreamt last night that your mother was ill. I heard you laugh in H Sux; Brute! your sleep. Hearst Against the Field Pres, W. Wilson is to be put up by W. Street_to “succeed Taft.—Headline in Hearst's American. R. HEARST’S paper seems not to be favorable to the notion of run- ning Dr. Wilson for President. Mr. Hearst, nowadays, is strong in political antipathies. He is aggressively hostile to Gaynor, Roosevelt, Murphy and more others than we can recall, and casually hostile to everybody else. It is Hearst against the field—both fields; a position not without advantages with Presidential nominations still two years off. RISHMAN (to ward leader): How long do I have to be after livin’ in this country before I can steal without gettin’ into jail? comicbooks.com