Life, 1912-02-15 · page 19 of 44
Life — February 15, 1912 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical commentary on American politics and society**, circa early 1900s. **"Candidacy"** mocks presidential candidates by listing the impossible contradictions they face: managing ninety-four million citizens with conflicting views, navigating social obligations (shaking hands with wealthy industrialists like Thomas Ryan, accepting cigars from labor leader Sam Gompers), and maintaining perfect public behavior. The satire suggests candidacy is inherently martyrdom. **"Bad for Certain Kinds"** appears to reference **William Howard Taft** and his Attorney General **Wickersham**, suggesting "Big Business" wants Wickersham fired (likely regarding trust-busting), while simultaneously criminal enterprises want the Police Chief discharged—highlighting hypocrisy across social classes. The cartoons and jokes below address leisure, romance, and morality—including references to novelist **Elinor Glyn** (associated with risqué romance) and depicting wild automobile parties and romantic infidelity. These satirize modern urban excess and changing social mores of the Jazz Age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MER(E) MAN Candidacy HIS is a good time to express the sympathy of this paper for all the gentlemen who now are, or soon may be, candidates for the Presidency of this coun- try and its ninety four millions of inhabitants. Think of the ninety-four millions, and all the blockheads, and cranks, and rascals, and self-seckers and well-meaning imbeciles that it includes, besides the « GRANOLA, WY SODAS THAT WAR Genie THB EADY large number whose opinions on many subjects, so far as WITH HER BUNDLE?” they know them, are opposed to the candidate’s in so far as he knows his. Think of all the need to say some- thing, to say nothing, to forget nothing, to remember noth- ing, to conceal nothing, to divulge nothing. Think of the delicate questions of expediency that arise over such sim- ple social transactions as shaking for drinks with Thomas Ryan (or his sons) or accepting Sam Gompers’s cigar. It LL fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, is hard to be a candidate—hard, that is, for anyone but Where Elinor Glyns accumulate and Dickenses decay. The Colonel, who fattens on hardship and rejoices in altercation as a ninety horse-power automobile to run up hill. Unless a man can behave naturally and according to his proper instincts, and can always hold such a hand that he can afford to show down, candidacy must be martyrdom. Bad for Certain Kinds “RIG BUSINESS” would advise Mr. Taft to discharge Mr. Wickersham—which is natural. It is also natural that certain lines of smaller business—carried on mostly after dark —should advise the discharge of the Chief of Police. Coroner's Cocktail M IX three chorus girls with as many men and soak in champagne until midnight. Squeeze into an auto. Add a dash of joy and a drunken 3 ite Corking chauffeur. Shake well. Serve at sev- enty miles an hour, “you JES’ WAIT TILL 1 GETCHA ouT!” E: I never loved any girl so much in my life. Sue (reproachfully) : But, don’t you think, darling, that you will be able to love me more later on?