Life, 1912-04-04 · page 26 of 80
Life — April 4, 1912 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces critiquing American institutions: **"Top and Bottom"** mocks millionaire Otto Kahn's claim that America rewards hard work equally. Life's editors sardonically note that while the hardest workers may indeed reach the "top" of skyscrapers, they're equally likely found at the "bottom" of mines—undercutting Kahn's optimistic meritocracy argument by highlighting wealth disparity and dangerous labor conditions. **"Officials"** attacks New York City's corrupt or incompetent bureaucracy. The piece quotes Arthur Brisbane (a Hearst editor) criticizing dishonest public officials, then responds cynically that reform is impossible. The example of General Bingham resigning as Chief Engineer because he couldn't remove Civil Service employees illustrates bureaucratic paralysis—even appointees can't fix systemic dysfunction. The cartoon "Mr. Roosevelt's Hat Is in the Ring" appears to reference Theodore Roosevelt's political ambitions, though specific context isn't entirely clear from this excerpt. Together, these pieces express Progressive Era frustration with both corporate robber barons and urban government incompetence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
690 Wisdom EAR the joyous lark repeat “ Sweet, my sweet!" Hear the nightingale say clear “Dear, my dear!” Canst deny the tender spring— Canst deny the hearts that sing Far and near? Hear the “breezes sigh above “Love, my love!” Hear the rivers sing apart “Heart, my heart!” Canst deny the rose perfume, Canst deny the joys that bloom Where thou art? Youth, what folly dost thou teach! Sce the ripples on the beach Rise and fall, Reach, white-foaméd, for the lea And return into the sea. Love is all! Leolyn Louise Everett. Top and Bottom * A MERICA is the land of oppor- tunity,” says Mr. Otto Kahn, “the land of opportunity for rich and poor alike, Hard work is all that is required, and you'll always find the hardest worker at the top.” This is an important contribution to the data of sociology, but we fear that Mr. Kahn is mixed in his altitudes. It is true that we often find the hardest workers at the top of the highest skyscrapers, but they are quite as likely to be found at the bot- tom of the deepest mines. Officials Ilere is a great city with five millions of inhabitants supposed to be more or less in- telligent, with hundreds of millions that can be spent for building subways, with crowds that need better facilities, And the city and “BURNING THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS.” ~S (ie MR. ROOSEVELT’S HAT IS IN THE RING the people are dependent upon a collection of more or less incompetent, more or less dishonest—especially more, dishonest—public officials.—Brother Brisbane's paper. ND always were, and probably always will be. What would you have, no public officials? Or do you look for officials of perfect in- tegrity and perfect wisdom? If Brother Brisbane will invent a government without officials, or will work out a formula for getting offi- cials that are not more or less incom- petent, he shall have a nice monu- ment in Central Park. General Bing- ham, appointed Chief Engineer of Highways in Manhattan by Borough President McAneny, resigned after two months because he couldn't get any- thing done, and Mr. McAneny when asked why he let him resign, replied (as quoted in the Sun): could do nothing. I couldn’t remove any of the men in the bureau because they are all Civil Service officials.”