Life, 1910-10-27 · page 13 of 44
Life — October 27, 1910 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon, titled "The Same Old Grind," depicts Death (skeleton with scythe and dark robes) operating a grinding wheel, with small cherub-like figures being processed through it. This allegorizes Congress as a destructive, relentless machine. The accompanying article critiques a London journal's claim that America is "in the throes of electing another Congress." The author argues that while Congress has been "reduced to comparative innocence," Americans remain too busy with entertainment (prize-fights, baseball, aviation meets) to properly engage with governance. The satire suggests that regular Congressional elections have become routine and ineffectual—a grinding, repetitive process that produces little meaningful change.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE SAME OLD GRIND Another Congress » MERICA is in the throes of electing another Congress,"" says a London journal. We plead guilty to the indictment, but we cannot admit that our London contemporary is entirely fair in its state- ment of the situation. That is to say, we are clecting another Congress. Although we have reduced our Congress, or, rather, it has reduced itself to a condition of comparative innocuity, we have not yet progressed far enough to be able or willing to do without it altogether. But that does not mean that we are in the throes about the matter. We make use of these for political purposes only in Presidential campaigns. As a nation we are too busy to hold our throes cheaply. It takes considerable time and energy to manage throes successfully, and, therefore, we cannot in- dulge in them except for the most urgent business, such as prize-fights, baseball games and aviation meets. Here and there an isolated Congressional district or two may be in the throes, but those few exceptions should not he mistaken for the rule. TRY THIS ON YOUR PIANO comicbooks.com