Life, 1912-03-21 · page 15 of 52
Life — March 21, 1912 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mocks the *New York World* newspaper's opposition to California's adoption of direct democracy measures (initiative and referendum). The article sarcastically critiques the *World*'s defense of the Founders' system of checks and balances, arguing that while elegant in theory, this system has merely allowed special interests to block reform—specifically regarding tariffs and trusts. The left cartoon shows the Statue of Liberty, captioned "Liberty Should Keep Up With the Times," suggesting democratic institutions must evolve. The right cartoon depicts a theater poster for "The Paprika Gauche" with a man displaying promotional images—likely satirizing California's supposedly crude, aggressive approach to democratic reform compared to the *World*'s preference for genteel restraint. The article concludes sarcastically that California should have pursued reform with "nice, gentle" modesty rather than overwhelming popular support, mocking the hypocrisy of privileging decorum over genuine democratic will.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIBERTY SHOULD KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES “IN THE SPRING A YOUN Rude California HE New York IVorld is a shining example of that type of American who is strongly in favor of democracy until there is danger of getting it. It is in this réle that it views with double-leaded alarm the emphatic adoption by California of certain con- stitutional amendments, principally the provision for the initiative and refer- endum, “Our ancestors,” says the World, “built a guarded system of checks and balances wherein power was divided between legislative, executive and judicial departments, so that none might tyrannize.” The World learned that in college. It is the delight of professors of con- stitutional history to talk like that for hours. They treat the Constitution as merely a marvelous piece of workman- ship, without ever explaining why our ancestors should have wanted to take all the power away from themselves and give it to nobody they could put their fingers on or hold to account. And so we have struggled along. While these highly specialized depart- ments were balancing, the people were checked. Just think how long they have balanced the tariff and the trusts! This balancing suggests the slang Ss FANCY” phrase, “up in the air,” and the peo- ple want their governments to get down to earth. Of course, we do not indorse Cali- fornia’s rude, Western way of doing this thing. They were too emphatic. The majority was too big. It is not good taste to be so sure of one’s mind or to speak it so boldly. They should have done it by a nice, gentle little majority. “T BELIEVE that President Taft will be present at that public dinner I am going to.” “Good gracious ! as that?” Is it as common