Life, 1912-07-11 · page 3 of 44
Life — July 11, 1912 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily advertising** with a minor satirical poem. The left column contains "Letters to the Literati"—a poem by Arthur Guterman mocking George Randolph Chester, a popular author of the era known for writing sensationalist stories about wealth-seeking and moral shortcuts ("Get-rich-quick" schemes). Guterman's satire criticizes Chester's books for glorifying dishonesty, gambling, and financial manipulation rather than honest labor. The poem suggests Chester teaches readers to "swindle and speculate" and avoid work—celebrating vice rather than virtue. The right side features period advertisements: Heisey's Glassware and the Truffault-Hartford Shock Absorber for automobiles. The satire reflects Progressive Era concerns about commercial literature promoting materialism and fraud over ethical conduct.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Letters: to the Literati To George Randolph Chester Now let us study the Newer Mora Selfishness, Greediness, plus Prodigality— Featured in stories of Gripping Virility All for the teaching of Sw Juvenility! Such are the books that our youngsters are reading most; “Get-rich-quick” lessons are just what they're needing most. Let me extol them as well as a jester can: Who else can write them as George Randolph Chester can?— Chester, who sings of that species of thriftiness Which rogues call “smartness” and other folk.“ shifti- ness "— Sings in a paper that’s published on Saturday, George Randolph Chester. high chief of our latter-day Ticker-tape, Thimble-rig, Pull-in-the-money School, Popular, now, as the Lovey-dove-honey School. Heroes, who look like the lads in the collar-signs, Gamble through pages just recking with dollar-signs, Making the race-tracks their favorite whereabouts, Snatching ten thousand an hour, or thereabouts, Foiling the envious villains who lurk for them, Winning the spoils—without stooping to work for them! Ergo, my sons, do not labor, but speculate; Or, let us teach you to swindle and peculate. “Trimming a Rube" is as easy as writing it; Drop in your hook—and the suckers are biting it! Spare your emotions! the gulls, who might kindle them, s are worse than our heroes who swindle them, Alwa Fear not the Law, since the Higher Rasecality Orders its thievings with perfect legality What? I'm a grouch, and my standards are narrowing? Granted; but, George, it is pretty near harrowing. Watching young prodigals gloat on your savory tises based on the Triumphs of Knavery Couldn't you soothe me with something quite different Wherein the Dollars shan't be so vociferant? Something which shall not exalt our insanity, abbing the coin, as the End of Humanity? Something which, far from attempting to vindicate Gambling or jobbing or juggling, shall indicate Clearly, that Wealth—and we're none of us spurning it— May be and should be acquired by carning it? Arthur Guiterman, Heisey’s Trade § Mark Glassware offers an unlimited variety of splendid designs, in any one of which you may choose a complete set, thus giving your table an air of distinction, It is the lowest priced glas. ware made: quality and durability considered. It is for sale only by the best crockery and department stores. You will find our book helpful in making selec- tions. Send for it. A. H. Heisey & Co. Dept. G2 Newark, Ohic Eliminate Vibration with the We Fruttault t-Hartford >) SHOCK SHOCK ABSORBER [Tis scientific fact that the m crossing a bridge wil the bridge. become an age red tread of an army unchecked w to gheserap he ap five or more years before its time, ‘one effective check to motor vibration and it the Truffault-Hartford h assimilates every move of “a itand, in so doing, keeps the car right indefinitely. \ HARTFORD SUSPENSION Co. Factory, 165 Ba: en comicbooks.com