Life, 1912-01-04 · page 62 of 108
Life — January 4, 1912 — page 62: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early 20th-century American consumerism and financial recklessness through multiple pieces: **"Motormania"** (poem): Mocks a poor woman who mortgages everything to own a 40-horsepower automobile—a luxury vehicle. She's shabby and impoverished but drives "like a shooting star." The satire targets how ordinary people sacrifice financial stability for status symbols and the automobile craze. **"The Whirlwind Crop"** (editorial): References William Jennings Bryan's 1896 presidential campaign ("Sowing the Wind") and the monetary debates it stirred. The piece criticizes how the money question was shelved rather than resolved, now resurfacing. It mocks Senator Aldrich's Treasury policies as self-serving, suggesting the public is too exhausted by past rhetoric to protest further—hence "reaping the whirlwind." **The cartoons** illustrate automobile absurdity: one shows cars run by "laughing gas"; another depicts a frozen-dog opera house manager confident a playwright will escape justice via a five-mile head start. **"Hint to Chauffeurs"**: Sarcastically advises drivers seeking wage increases to strike when convenient—implying conditions never will be favorable. The overall theme: blind consumerism and unresolved financial/political crises.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AUTOMOLILES, “ Motormania "” HERE lives a woman in our town, She’s old, dried up and worn. Her shabby clothes are hand-me-down, Her aspect is forlorn. In spite of this it will be seen She owns an up-to-date machine ARE RUN 3 “QO you think the author of this play will live, do you?” re- marked the tourist. “Yes,” replied the manager of the Frozen Dog Opera House. “ He's got a five-mile start’and I don’t think the boys kin ketch him.” The Whirlwind Crop oy 1896 we produced that classical melodrama, “Sowing the Wind,” with Mr. Bryan in the title-role. Har- vest time is at hand. At that time so much foolishness was spoken and written of the money question and the money power that the people and the honest reformers grew tired and disgusted. The money ques- tion was not settled. It was merely mixed with moth balls and tenderly laid in cold storage. Now we are afraid to take it out. We should love to talk about it among ourselves, but we hesitate lest we thereby unloosen a flood of oratory which will leave us more confused than before. We would suggest, therefore, to Senator Aldrich and his merry band of Treasury looters that they are quite safe in proposing whatever currency reforms may seem most favorable to them. We shall make no outery. We are reaping the whirlwind. OPELESSLY James. involved — Henry Her home is bare and lonely quite ; Her food the kind that kills; But though life’s one continuous fight With poverty and ills, She flits by like a shooting star, Driving a 40 H. P. car. She's mortgaged everything she owns, pawnshops gems; A_ pauper’s bones When Death stems. But still, 1 cheerful mien She'd trade her gasoline. W.W. Quinton. have her The grave awaits her her lifetide know, with soul for USBAND: How was the woman's club session? Wire: Best time I ever had. I was the best-dressed woman present. A HINT TO CHAUFFEURS IF YOU MEAN 10 STRIKE FOR HIGHER WAGES, WAIT FOR A FAVORABLE OPPORTUNITY