Life, 1912-05-02 · page 38 of 58
Life — May 2, 1912 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page consists primarily of **reader letters** to the editor—not political cartoons. The single illustration depicts a peculiar-looking figure on a beach or seaside setting, with onlookers commenting on his odd appearance. The caption reads: "Queer looking guy, isn't he?" / "Say, old man, you don't suppose he realizes that he looks like that, do you?"—a simple humor piece about social self-awareness. The letter section covers three topics: **regional reconciliation** (praising Life's sympathetic coverage of the South); **Taft's Catholicism** (criticizing President Taft for appearing too favorable to Catholic interests—appointing Justice White, attending mass, thanking the Pope—when Catholics constitute only one-fifth of Americans); and **anti-vaccination sentiment** (a physician arguing vaccination weakens public health and causes small-pox epidemics). These reflect genuine 1912 political anxieties about religious influence and medical authority.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
We «Are Constantly in Receipt of Important Letters Which Are Too Long for Our Limited Space. One More Link Eprrox or Live: May I extend to you a word of co mendation for your Sunny South issue It is a radical departure from an almost universal custom of ignorantly of un- kindly throwing off on the South as an unfailing resort to strike a popular chord in an Northern Love and sympathy such as you dis- play in the above referred to issue of Lire will soonest bind together the two With best regards, R. W. Cxockerr. audience. sections. Macox, Ga. February 23). 3912s Taft a Trimmer? Drax Lire: I'm one of your lovers and follow your carcer closely. I like you more for your occasional apparent faults. You stand for Taft, yet do not like the mili- ant assertiveness of Catholicism. To me, Taft is the bidder for Catholic support ever seen in public cffice, unless the incumbent were a Cath- olic. Why? Look up his public history alone. His most dangerous act w: placing Justice White at the head of the U. S. Supreme Court. You know what at may mean in the near future. ness his overruling of Valentine in the Indian school affair. On big days —religious holidays—he attends “ mass.” Now he (on behalf of the people of the United States) sends our thanks to the Pope for creating a few cardinals in this country. Catholic communicants number possibly 16,000,000 in this country, about one-fifth of our people. Are the re- maining four-fifths of the people, the ajority of whom Taft represents, car- 1g one jot or tittle about those cardi nals? By whose authority does he con- vey our thanks for this (to us) empty honor? The bold utterances of eminent Cath- clic divines, including one of these new ly-appointed “princes of the “church,” indicate a growing militant’ sentiment on the part of our Catholic brethren which will sooner or later develop into trouble for someone. Taft seems to stand primarily for a condition of af- coarsest 2R Brevity is Absolutely Essential to Publication fairs which means more to our future welfare than many specious and falla- cious political ills now in the public cye. More so because you are one of the very few, if not the only publication, independent cnough to even mildly pro- test. Yours, Jol Lixcous, In. April 1, 1912. A Physician's Opinion To vu Eprtor or Lire: Drax Six: Well do [ know that you are in sympathy with all victims of en- forced vaccination, a procedure by all nieans the worst and most vulgar of all the miserable blunders of the medical profession. Bleeding, which killed many thousands, was only a matter of fever patients; same is true of water star tion; appendectomy, still, popular, kills comparatively few, though injuring all its victims; but vaccination means the poisoning of the entire race, with abso- “ QUEER LOOKING GUY, IS « say, LOOKS LIKE THAT, DO You?” lutely no compensating influence. Even worse than that, it so lowers the vital iorces of every one that they are more likely to have small-pox. Statistics prove that all epidemics of small-pox begin with vaccinated persons, and that these furnish the most most deaths. cases and the ery truly yours, C. E. Pace. Boston, Mass. March 11, 1912, Our Best Wishes to You, Sir! Lire Puptismtxe Cosraxy: Gentiemen: Under this cover I en- close check for renewal to my subscrip- tion to Lire. Until. my administrator or executor advises you of my death you may con- sider my renewals as ordered from time to time without further notice, sending me bills for renewal subscriptions and I will send check. I value your periodical above any paper or magazine taken by me, and would cancel every subscription to such should necessity arise before I would cease my subscription with you I consider Lire a necessity to good health, correct living and a proper men- tal attitude. Yours truly, Joux T. Jacons. Garetey, Coro March 4, 1912. OLD MAN, YOU DON’T SUPPOSE HE REALIZES THAT HE