Life, 1911-03-02 · page 22 of 52
Life — March 2, 1911 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"The Charge of the Tight Brigade"** parodies Tennyson's famous poem, mocking the hobble skirt—a restrictive women's fashion trend of the early 1900s that severely limited leg movement. The satire ridicules wealthy women ("the Four Hundred"—New York's elite social class) for slavishly adopting an impractical, uncomfortable style purely for fashion's sake. The poem suggests the trend is already fading ("Gone is the hobble day"). **"Judges in Arizona and New York"** critiques political appointments: Life argues Arizona's recall provision for judges, while radical, may produce better results than New York's system where judges are selected by political boss Charles Murphy without voter input. **"Cut the Nickel in Two"** advocates creating 2.5-cent coins to simplify commerce and streetcar fares—a practical economic proposal. The bottom cartoons illustrate how differently husband and wife perceive a new suit's cost ($7.50).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SHOOTING UP THE TOWN Judges in Arizona and in New York HE provisions in the new constitu- tion of Arizona for the recall of public officers, including judges, scandal- izes the Sun, and we think justly. And yet we doubt that in practice the Arizona bench, if the prepared constitution stands, will administer a grade of justice inferior to that dispensed in other States. Here in New York most of the judges are selected by Charles Murphy. Really, now, neighbor Sun, that is not an ideal method. We guess whether they are good enough, and vote, and they are elected. We voters have no voice in choosing them. They might far better be appointed by the Mayor or the Gov- ernor on recommendation of the Bar As- sociation, Anachronistic = ‘AS his drama modern and real- istic? “No,” answered Mrs. Wildwest. “ The second act takes place six months after the first and the heroine still has the same husband,” “iL PRE The Charge of the Tight Brigade (With apologies to Mr. and Mrs. Tennyson) (APROPOS OF THE HOBBLE SKIRT) Half a leg, half a leg, Half a leg onward, All in pursuit of style “ Hobb’d” the Four Hundred. “ Forward the Tight Brigade! Charge—it's the style,” they said; Oh, what a price they paid— Hobbled Four Hundred. “ Forward, the Tight Brigade!” Was there a man dismayed At wifey so arrayed? Some one had blunder’: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to see and buy— Funny Four Hundred. Hobbles to right of them, Hobbles to left of them, Hobbles all sides of them— What if they'd sunder’d? Maude, Bessie, Kit and Nell, Wrapped like an umberell, Should one have tripped and fell She would have looked like— Well, less than Four Hundred. Flashed all their curves so rare; Flashed—yes, and bulged, so there! All but the skinny ones, While the world wondered. Some couldn’t stand the strain; Some, yes, some shrunk from rain; So now they're on the wane; Gone is the hobble day— Hoop-skirts are next, they say, Fickle Four Hundred. When can their glory fade? Oh, what a stir they made; All the world wonder’d What more could be displayed; Dear, naughty, Tight Brigade— Dear old Four Hundred. Cut the Nickel in Two ILL the Federal Government oblige many citizens by coining some two-and-a-half-cent pieces. We need them every hour. They would help to simplify many commercial problems including some problems of street-railway transportation. Half- cent pieces would be a nuisance and create unnecessary and troublesome commercial disturbance, but a coin that would represent the half of five cents would be a help. Cut the nickel in two for us, Messrs. Congressmen. It would help the con- sumer and at the same time stimulate the exchange of commodities. AS THE SUIT LOOKED TO WIFEY AND AS IT LOOKED TO HUBBY comicbooks.com