Life, 1912-04-25 · page 26 of 44
Life — April 25, 1912 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Wall Street financial chaos and speculation circa 1907-1912. The "Bulls and Bears" section mocks the frenzied trading by describing stock exchanges using absurd animal metaphors—literally adding foxes, hogs, asses, and monkeys to Wall Street, treating financial instruments like livestock commodities. The joke targets the reckless, almost gambling-like nature of stock trading: railroads and trusts are "borrowed" and bet like poker chips, prices fluctuate wildly over nothing, and a Socialist speech causes panicked selling. The cartoon shows a man getting an X-ray of his brain (bottom right), captioned as proof he actually has one—mocking Wall Street traders' supposed lack of intelligence. References include J.P. Morgan & Co. (real banking giant) and likely Governors Wilson and Senator Tillman (political figures of that era), suggesting broader critique of both financial and political incompetence during this volatile economic period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PROPHESIES SOMETIMES COME TRUE “(LL BE AVENGED FOR THIS, IF IT TAKES A HUNDRED YEARS” Ode HE roof needs fixing; front windows broke; The rugs need beating; the chimneys smoke; The house needs painting; the wash flies high; The lawn needs sodding; there's coal to buy ; There's a year's work in everything That marks the season—hail, fair Spring! Bulls and Bears ST week witnessed the biggest dealings in Wall Street since 1907, On Monday morning the firm of Lurem and Shear borrowed a couple of railroads from the firm of Richer and Richer. Then Lurem and Shear offered to bet a railroad against any one of the thirty-three Stand- ard Oil trusts that Colonel Watterson knew more about honor than both Governor Wilson and Senator Tillman combined. This bet was immediately taken by the firm of Sayitt and Lie. Thence ensued a mighty struggle for supremacy, which was participated in by every Bull, Bear and Lamb south of the deadline. Stocks were bought, sold, exchanged, stolen, trans- ferred, set over, borrowed, lent and assigned in great quantities. The Steel Trust changed hands sis Union Pacific four times, Amalgamated and Reading three times each and a half dozen other active issues changed hands on an average of one and a half times each. Prices fluctuated every little while. Late Wednesday evening the Board of Governors declared the fight a draw. Prices relaxed. On Thursday and Friday the interest centered mainly in a considerable increase in the faunal specimens of the Street. In addition to the Bulls, Bears and Lambs which have occupied the place for so long, there was received a consignment, consisting of eight foxes, fourteen hogs, eleven asses with exceptionally long ears, five steers, nine gray wolves and twenty-three monkeys. Prices went up. The keepers were hard put to find accommodations for all of the new arrivals, but at last they were comfortably times, housed and London sold off in anticipation of the Fourth of July In the meantime, it was reported that an agitator was making a Socialist speech in front of the office of J. P. Morgan & Co. Prices became very much worried, and only with the greatest difficulty were they pushed up out of harm's way. When the orator finished, some of his friends started to pass the hat for a collection, and the hat disappeared, Several brokers are suspected, and the police promise that the mystery will be cleared up in a few days. Prices on the Paris Bourse hardened a little when this news was wirelessed across. On Saturday the bank statement arrived. The brokers took one swift and fleeting glance at it and ran home as fast as their legs could carry them, HE HAS AN X-RAY PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN OF HIS BRAIN, NOT ONLY TO SATISFY HIMSELF THAT HE HAS ONE, BUT ALSO TO SURPRISE HIS INCREDULOUS FRIENDS. Comicbooks.com