Life, 1910-09-15 · page 17 of 40
Life — September 15, 1910 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical attack on the muckraking journalism trend of early 1900s America. The article mockingly imagines major public figures responding to a scandal about Peter Piper's pickled pepper industry—a nursery-rhyme figure used as an absurd stand-in for real corporate malfeasance. The cartoon ridicules how various powerful men deflect responsibility: Vice-President Sherman claims ignorance, J. Pierpont Morgan equivocates about finances, and prominent magazines (like *Everybody's*) rush to expose the "scandal" with sensationalist investigative series. The satire targets the era's widespread muckraking exposés (actual investigations into real industries), suggesting they're performative moral theater. Temperance unions pass resolutions, religious figures preach lessons, and Wall Street reacts dramatically—all over a children's rhyme. The joke: *Life* is mocking how America's institutions and media manufacture outrage over trivialities while ignoring (or participating in) actual corruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“te SMILED AS USUAL" know that the tariff on pickled peppers, higher, is in reality lower than it ever was before. I shall take this matter up on my next yacht cruise."" Vice-President disturbed “I know nothing about it,’’ he pas- sionately exclaimed. “Peter Piper is no concern of mine. the man; never knew that he I dislike pickled peppers, and when I se one always cross the street. I positively refuse to be implicated.” James J. Jeffries, when shown the dis patch on his California farm, turned and his knees knocked together. “It is God's will,”’ he muttered. ¢ in the afternoon there d combined meeting of the Young Woman's Christ Woman's Christian Temperance Union, to protest against the practice of picking pickled The meeting largely attended and after an excited de- late the following resolution was unani assed : That the act of Peter Pi while seemingly Sherman was visibly © never seen existed was a peppers, was condemned, offering as it docs a pernicious example to our youth and undermining the morals of the ion; and we hereby denounce this dis- gusting practice and firmly pledge our- selves to protest personally to every one not be too strongl: “LIP E* whom we see doing it, and furthermore, “ Resolved, That a copy of this resolu- tion be sent to Peter Piper, in order that our unanimous opinion on the matter may shame him into a better life.’” We have just learned that Everybody's Magazine bas engaged Charles Edward Russell, Harvey J. O'Higgins, Thomas Lawsyn, Brand Whitlock and Samuel Blythe to expose the pickled pepper in- Gustry in a of stirring articles under the title “The Shame of Perpetu- ating Peter Piper's Pickled Peppers.”’ His history will be traced, step by step, from its humble beginnings in Scotland, and the whole horrible story laid bare in all of its hideous details. J. Pierpont Morgan grected our repre- sentative with his usual taciturnity. “ Everything passes,"” he observed. “ But, do you think, Mr. Morgan, that another bond issue will be necessary?’ “We must rob Peter Piper, if neces- in order to pay Paul. And if so, can we count on you?” “I shall do my share, as uswal.”” Wall Strect carly showed the effect of the startling news. Pickled peppers pre- opened and in re- large bro Around noon, being unsup- ported, it dropped below par. 1. there was a slight rally. A promin banker, in speaking about the situ series sary feverishly, selling orders ferred sponse to sharply. said The themselves to there has been a disposition to ignore American people have only blame, For some time x5 7 in Association and GR. JE OURSELVES TO PKO! SONALLY “1 SMALL DO MY SHARE" the banking interests, with the inevitable result. It must be recognized by every- body that we are and that the backbone of the Wall Street is the barometer through which our prosperity this will be a undoubtedly a country can be gauged. I Peter Piper is martyr to the cause.” lesson. Ella Wheeler Wilcox has the follow- ening Journal ing poem in the E “If to Love's Higher Will you're blind, Keep Peter Piper in your mind; And should your heart be filled with rue, Ask, What would Peter Piper do? "’ The Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis, of Ply- mouth Church, Brooklyn, it is under- stood, will preach on Peter Piper next Sunday. Through the the advertising agency who represents him, we are erabled to quote from his dis- course the followi “Peter Piper's example jesson to us all. To preserve our we need to keep firmly fixed in our minds the unbler pick! throu ou! Il the ages, it has come down all its purit untoward effects of a dama e of dishonor courtesy of g soul-stirring words: should be a shed pepper, as for in spite of the ng civiliza tion, in. spi and discredit and certain unwholesome which I have had previous occasion to advert, every pickled pepper is pure at heart. And, brethren, it is upon foundation that we build ; mindful of our privileges, still believing mate destiny influences to this must ever sacred ind unflinchingly in the ulti- of man.’”’ T. L. M.