Life, 1912-06-06 · page 19 of 56
Life — June 6, 1912 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This article satirizes a fictional "Life Magazine automobile tour" sending away prominent figures the publication wants rid of. The passengers—Andrew Carnegie, Frank Hitchcock, George Baer, and Dr. Flexner—represent powerful men whose absence is celebrated as beneficial to the nation. The satire's targets are clear: Carnegie (wealthy industrialist), Baer (coal magnate), Hitchcock (politician/postal official), and Flexner (medical administrator). Their removal allegedly causes: - Coal prices dropping to benefit the poor - Death rates declining - Express companies suffering - General national improvement The cartoons illustrate the tour crossing Egypt and using a camel, with an inset of "Near Madagascar," suggesting absurdly exotic and improbable destinations. The joke's bite lies in suggesting these influential men cause such harm that their prolonged absence is *desirable*—a cutting commentary on their unpopularity and perceived negative impact on American society during the Progressive Era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*LIPB: Will They Come Bach? Great Apprehension Felt in Leading Centers that Guests in Life's Automobile Tour May Escape— Assurances that They Will Be Safeguarded—Quiet Populace—Country Tranquilin New-Found Joy SIBERIA, with its rapidly June 4.— precious speeding hward this evening at 1030. erybody is in good condition. Our at great trip—one of the seen reatest patriotic tours ever planned by any newspaper or periodical—are Andrew Carnegie, Frank Hitehco George Baer and Flexner. ‘The idea of sending these men on a rip where they could not talk, where y could not get away, where they ould not act or do any further dam- —in fact, where the whole country would be immune from them—has now Leen in progress for one week The effect upon the country has been torial commenting upon our. selection of guests “Dr. Flexner’s absence too highly deprecated, coming, as it does, during a time when—we regret cannot be to say—confidence in the medical pro- icssion is declining. We look for the worst!” Everybody's Magazine ing to persuade Anthony Comstock, Hetty Green, Mrs. O. H. P. Bel- mont and Mr. Taft to go on their own trip. Coal has gone down to three dollars a ton in all principal centers, and, best etting it at as been try of all, the poor people are the same price per ton that the rich have to pay. This alone is worth the “Egypt” electrical, and it is now realized what a terrible strain we have been under. The death rate in all leading centers continues to decline owing to. senti- effect of Dr. Flexner’s con- tinued absence. “If you could only exile all the prominent physicians and surgeons we would live forever,” writes an enthus- iastic friend The New York Times says in an edi- mental whole auto tour. Until recently buckets of coal in the slums have sold for about twice what they were sold for on Fifth Avenue—not to mention short weights. “Tf Baer escapes and gets back to the mines, Heaven help us!” is the ery. The question is now being fearfully asked, How long is Lire’s tour going to last? Just as long as we can make it last. We love our country ‘car Madagascar” The express companies throughout the country ¢ in utter despair. “Hitchcock was our mainstay in Washington,” said a prominent express president yesterday. “ With him there the parcels post didn’t have a ghost of This is awful.” Meantime the car speeds on. Up to the present time Egypt, Africa and Kussia have been successively visited, but the reception given to the occu- pants of the car in each of those re- gions did not warrant a permanent stay. Carnegie wanted to donate a mil- lion to every. village they passed through, but notwithstanding his ef- forts to attract attention he could not be heard above our new patent horn, which drowns the voices of all speak- ers The destination of the car after leav- ing Siberia will not be disclosed, as it is feared that Wall Street may send out a rescuing party. We are in constant receipt of lists a show! comicbooks.com