Life — September 28, 1911 — page 23: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts wealthy businessmen/industrialists using distorted religious language to justify profit-seeking. The figure appears to be a bloated capitalist spouting perverted Biblical passages as justifications for greed: - "Blessed are the sleek" (mocking the Beatitudes) - References to "mammon" (biblical term for wealth/greed) - Mocking "small profits" and advocating "treasures on earth" - The final jab: hiring lawyers to prove "God is unconstitutional" The satire targets wealthy industrialists who cynically misuse religious rhetoric to legitimize capitalist excess while abandoning genuine Christian ethics. The phrase "So saith the Profit" (pun on "prophet") emphasizes these are false prophets of materialism. The caption references tariff revision, suggesting this critiques business interests manipulating policy. The cartoon appears to be from an era of progressive critique of robber-baron capitalism and religious hypocrisy.