Life, 1911-08-03 · page 19 of 40
Life — August 3, 1911 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon depicts various flying machines and early aircraft hovering over a cityscape, illustrating the emerging problem of aerial traffic congestion in New York City's sky above Fifth Avenue. The joke is topical: as aviation technology rapidly advanced in the early 1900s, Life humorously imagines a future where air traffic becomes as crowded and chaotic as street traffic, requiring regulation. The accompanying articles discuss Daniel Webster's character (defending him against charges of degeneracy and excessive drinking) and criticize Secretary of Interior Richard Ballinger for allegedly credulous reasoning about conservationist Gifford Pinchot's motives regarding Alaska coal development. The Ballinger piece sarcastically suggests Ballinger lacks understanding of human nature.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Late Uncle Daniel Webster ARSE HENRY WATTERSON dis- cusses to the extent of four col- umns whether Daniel Webster was: a degenerate. He decides that he was not, and,we believe that public opinion will sustain him in that view. He also pretty much acquits Uncle 1 of undue thirst, and of carcless- in money matters. Doubtless Mr. Vebster fed more brandy into his re- markable cylinders than was good for im, but doubtless also his indulgences were exaggerated. There have doubtless been men more skilful and wisely re- strained than he in their use of fluids, but however he used his machinery, it is admitted that he produced goods. He worked hard, long and well. His meth- ods of conservation may have been TRAFFIC REGULATION GN UPPER FIFTH AVENUE faulty, as the methods of his day were apt to be, but he worked them to notable purpose. It is a mistake to suppose, as some have done, though not Marse Hen his greatness was due to the ren top hats in which he had his picture taken, It is true that Mr. Lincoln, also great, wore similar But that proves nothing. Mr. Webster's lids were merely an incident. It was his greatness that made them écem great. So it-was, we suspect, with his habits, Perhaps they might have drowned a smaller man, but they did not drown him, and the hats would not have got attention if he had not worn them. It is the splendor of their background that makes Uncle Daniel's defects show big. Everything about him showed mag- nificd because he was magnificent. And he doesn't dwindle much, either. Too Credulous, Mr. Ballinger R. RICHARD A. BALLINGER, the papers say (July 10), agrees with Director Van Vleck, of the Maryland Coal Company, that it is probable that Gifford Pinchot’s activity in arresting the development of the coal fields of Alaska was largely ‘due to his mother's interest in the Pocohontas mine of West Virginia. Mr. Ballinger’s trouble continues, ap- parently, to be of the same nature as heretofore. The indomitable are apt to speak of persons afflicted as he is as “asses.” That is rude, but it conveys the idea. Mr. Ballinger does not seem to under- stand about the different kinds of men. He will not see that it 1s ludicrous to think of Pihchot sweating to save a con- tract for His mother’s mine by closing Alaska,