Life, 1912-03-21 · page 13 of 52
Life — March 21, 1912 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the women's suffrage movement through a gathering of various political stereotypes. The headline "To Suffragettes: You Can Catch the Young Men If You Will Only Use the Right Kind of Bait" frames women voters as manipulative. The central illustration depicts diverse character types gathered around discussing "How They View the West"—including a Capitalist, Edgeless New Yorker, Politician, Provincial New Yorker, Conservative, Progressive, Woman Suffragist, Idle Rich, Traveler, Easterner, and Westerner. Each receives mocking descriptions of their supposed worldview. The small figure labeled "His Leap Year Make-Up" adds crude commentary on gender roles. The satire mocks both suffragettes and various American social types, treating women's political participation as ridiculous rather than legitimate democratic aspiration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIS LEAP YEAR MAKE-UP TO SUFFRAGETTES YOU CAN CATCH THE YOUNG MEN IF YOU WILL ONLY USE THE RIGHT KIND OF BAIT How They View the West HE CAPITALIST.—As a place to get gold and land and crops and other means of wealth for the glorification of Wall Street. Tne Evrorean.—As a place overflowing with buffalo, Indians, outlaws and novelists. Tue Ponitician.—As a place to get votes by wearing picturesque garments, talking in a swag- gering manner and vowing eternal vengeance against the money power of the East. Tue Provincra, New Yorker.—As a boresome place without chorus girls, cafés, Coney Islands or seething multitudes. Tue Conservative.—As a place where ideas grow wild and unkempt men throw dynamite. Tue Procresstve.—As the nearest approach to a political Utopia that American civilization has produced. Tue Woman Svurrracist.—As a place where woman is supreme. Tue Ipte Ricu.—As a convenient bit of .cli- mate for winter use. Tue Traveter.—As a boundless area appointed by Providence to be looked upon with awe and commented upon with trite adjectives. Tue Easterner—As a possible place to visit when he has made his pile. Tur Westerner.—As a place to leave when he has made his pile.