Life, 1912-06-13 · page 15 of 44
Life — June 13, 1912 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Life magazine's own famous 1909 cross-country automobile tour. The main article announces the tour will continue "indefinitely," celebrating public support for the journey while mocking both elite anxieties and populist reactions. The article names real figures—Andrew Carnegie, George Baer (coal magnate), and others—as tour guests. The satire targets: (1) wealthy industrialists' fear of public backlash (suggesting a "rescuing party" might be needed), (2) Wall Street and Senate attempts to stop the tour, and (3) the ironic contrast between rumors of the car's return causing "riots" and the public's actual apathy. The accompanying cartoon shows crowds celebrating the news with a bulletin reading "Life Bulletin—Report False—There is No Prospect of Their Ever Returning," capturing the satirical point: the public didn't actually care much about the tour's continuation, contradicting the article's claim of mass enthusiasm.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
POPULAR NOVEL UP WITH LIZZIE” The Seasons A Plea HEN the world was white with blossoms, All my heart began to sing Joy of rapture, joy of passion, “Tush,” said I, “'tis just the spring!” In the days of lavish splendor, All my heart began to glow With its dreaming, “’Tis but sum- mer,” T remarked, “that makes it so!” When the leaves grew red and golden, All my heart with love would burn, “Tush,” I said, “tis autumn’s beauty Makes the silent spirit yearn!” Coldest winter, saddest winter— Shining ice on vale and hill— Must I now pretend, my dearest, I'm in love because it’s chill? E. * LIF E- Splendid News! The Whole Country Frantic with Joy Upon Announcement that Life's Tour is Not Only Not Ended but Will Be Kept Up Indefinitely—Celebrations Everywhere IFE’S car is still plunging north Carnegie, Baer, Flexner and Hitchcock are the guests. There is no prospect of their ever returning. . Now that the fear is over and we are at last on a firm and respectable basis, we realize the chances we took. It was simply a question of how many friends George Baer and_ his companions had. Tkis could only be cetermined by an actual test. If there had been an uprising in their favor, or if a rescuing party had assumed large enough proportions to warrant sending it out, things might have gone hard with us. But the American people at heart are all right. Wall Street made a feeble demonstration and the Senate tried to do something about it. Also the Bankers’ Union and the Custom House. It was no use. The great American public was with us. : One day last week, when it was rumored that Lire’s car was returning, the excitement became so intense and there was so many riots that we had to issue bulletins saying that there was no truth in the report. In the meantime all of our guests are well. Andrew Carnegie has been “How the news was received”