Life, 1912-07-18 · page 12 of 44
Life — July 18, 1912 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes early 20th-century debates about women's roles and political involvement. The main article "Who Killed G.O.P.?" presents various political figures—the Tariff, Corrupt Practices, Pension List, Bill Taft, and T.R. (Theodore Roosevelt)—each claiming responsibility for damaging the Republican Party (G.O.P.). The illustrated vignettes on the right mock women's newly-active committee work by showing wives, mothers, and servants attending various "committee meetings" instead of managing homes—the Equal Franchise Club, United Servants' Alliance, Infants' Protective Food Club. The satire suggests women's political participation threatens domestic duties, a common anti-suffrage argument. The humor relies on contemporary anxieties about women's expanding social roles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CLUB LIFE The Husband: 1 HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE BUSINESS MEN'S CLUB. WILL BE BACK EARLY, Who Killed G. O. P.? a I " SAID the Tariff, “1 killed G. O. P. I did it with + my little infant industry legerdemain; by gradually imposing an ever-increasing duty upon all classes of manu- facture in this country and conveying the impression that it was patriotic and necessary and for the good of labor so to do. I killed G. O, P.” “1,” said Corrupt Practises, “I killed G. O. P. I did it with my sway over politicians, with ry bribes, and open and shameless passing of money.” “1,” said the Pension List. “I did it by going too far and so shamelessly ordering superfluous money to be paid to superfluous people, that all the patriots in the country who had any sense were so disgusted that they felt that they could not stand the old régime any longer. I killed G. ©. P” “1,” said Bill Taft. “I did it with my smile. I am the responsible one, with my soft and jelly disposition and spineless attitude. I consulted with everybody and got the PEt ) judgment I could, and succeeded in pro- ( worst f ducing a spineless administration. Hence the fatal and inevitable result. I killed G. O. P.” “T did it,” said T. R. “I did it with my ego. After everybody else had had a chance and had made their puny efforts to do it, I came along with my ego and my big stick and slashed right and left. Nobody should have the credit but me. I made Ananiases and I threw over my friends and I contradicted myself. Put it all down to me. 1 killed G. O. P.” OTTIE: How does that candidate on the suffragette ticket get so many votes? Hattie: She addresses her cighty-year-old constituents as “Girls.” The Wife: 1 WAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE EQUAL FRANCHISE CLUB, WILL NOT BE GONE VERY LONG, MARY. Mary: 1 HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE UNITED SERVANTS’ ALLIANCE CLUB. TAKE CARE OF BABY, FIDO. Baby: 1 HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING AT THE INFANTS? PROTECTIVE FOOD CLUB. KEEP OUT THE BURGLARS, FIDO. comicbooks.com