Life, 1912-05-23 · page 40 of 44
Life — May 23, 1912 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains mostly **advertisements and satirical humor pieces** typical of early Life magazine. The main satirical content is **"Why Not Tax These?"**—a tongue-in-cheek proposal to impose taxes on various social vices and foolishness: schemers, dishonest lawyers, liars, people attending operas without understanding Italian, concert-goers ignorant of music, people sleeping in church, men falsely boasting of romantic conquests, and gossipers. The humor lies in the absurdist premise that such taxes could solve national debt and fund government services—mocking both human folly and the era's enthusiasm for taxation as a solution to social problems. **"Interviewing Edison"** is a brief anecdote mocking a city official's ignorance, where a politician asks whether a proposed hydraulic pump runs on "steam or electricity"—poking fun at politicians' technical incompetence during the industrial age. **"Making It Right"** is a short joke about a woman mistaking an ugly gentleman for someone else, then awkwardly apologizing when told he's her partner's brother. The remainder consists of product advertisements (glassware, animal husbandry books, solar lamps).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Why Not Tax These ? A tax on all schemers, which, from the inventive genius of idleness, would pro- duce annually at least $900 006. A tax on all attorneys who were not able to prove that, in the course of year's practise, one-eighth of their in come was got honestly, which, from my knowledge of the fact, would produc: half a million, A tax on all liars, which, on an aver- age of only one in a hundred being a man of truth, would produce a sum not less than sufficient to pay the national debt in two years. A tax on every person that went to an Italian opera, who did not understand the language; on every person who at- tended a concert, without a knowledge of music, and on all persons sleeping at church, might produce in one year $500,000. A tax upon all gentlemen who boasted of female favors that they never re- ceived. This, on an average, might be computed a tax on 9,999 men out of ten thousand, who had attained the age of twenty-one years, and would produce, at a moderate interest fer capitum an an- nual revenue of $800,000. A tax on all slander and backbiting ; one methodist to be considered as four churchmen, would produce, at a penny per head, ninety-nine persons out of every hundred in the kingdom as sub- ject to the duty. A tax on all young gentlemen who had got an university education and made the grand tour, but who could not construc an ode of Horace or tell in what part of the world the Alps lay. This, on compu- tation, might produce $20,000 yearly. A tax on mock visits, pretended ail- Artment Stores. ec k aso. nceRlh Our free..“Ftandboo PLATESSvioLeTHoLoER A. KK Heisey & Ge Interviewing Edison Thomas A. Edison was explaining to a Among the recent addi reporter the part played by M. Branly, tions to this practical series the new French academician, in the dis- : ae are: covery of wireless telegraphy. The poor reporter, a little bewildered . liams Haynes, Originsad Ly all the transmitters, volts, ohms and y development of inaa so forth, ventured on a question that pa ing, curt lain, made Mr. Edison smile. o ene cee “That question,” he said, “ reminds ! THE see pie » Breed me of the city father who rose and said: Beifum, Thoroughly “* Mr. Chairman, I'd like to know, for practical. Specially de- my constituents’ benefit, whether this signed for owner of one here proposed hydraulic pump is to be run by steaniVor clectricity.’” —Ideal Power. LITTLE TROUBLES OF OUR PREHIS- TORIC ANCESTORS A LOVE LETTER TO HIS SWEETIEART on The new text- books for outdoor work and play or two horses. PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPING—R. B.Sando Comprehensive manual of instruction for raising poultry on large or small scale. PROFITABLE BREEDS OF POULTRY— A. S. Wheeler, Rhode Island Reds, Ply- mouth Frocks, » HP yandottes, Mediterraneans, scobrisa's “AND IRISH TERRIERS— Wil- liams Haynes. Origins, standard types, dis- eases, kenneling, training, etc. Purchase from bookstores or direct at 70 ments of body, fictitious headaches, and other incidental nonentities in women of fashion, might render six in ten through- out the higher and second orders of the female world liable to duty. Making It Right Lapy (at fashionable ball): know that ugly gentleman sitting oppo- site to u Bais Do you ‘That is my brother, madam.” Ab! I beg your Lavy (in confusion) : centsacopy. Postage extra,5 cents. Send for free Outing Handbook catalogue. OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY OUTING MAGAZING —" Yarreing | Outre HANDBOOKS. tetees WAGT dorm SE NEW YORE, 129 4 MUCRICaN ave CMICASD ee | SOLAR LAMPS ouaut¥Sh Stavic The day when you pay for manufacturer's blunders, is over. You can now purchase your lamps with the assurance of getting a finished product—if you insist on Solar Lamps. For 15 years Solar Lamps have headed the procession. They lead in quality— in service rendered—in ultimate satisfaction, Their unequalled popularity is the best measure of their value. Solars are built by experts: 2 eet all requirements of all kinds pardon, I had not noticed the resem- blance.—Dundee Advertiser, of motor driven vehicles. electricity, of both combined. THE BADGER BRASS MFG. CO. KENOSHA, WIS. NEW YORK CITY Let us give you expert advice on the choice of electric motor lamps best fitted to meet your needs. comicbooks.com