Life, 1912-07-25 · page 20 of 41
Life — July 25, 1912 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon satirizes financial speculation during summer market volatility. "Circe" (the mythological enchantress) represents "Mammon" (wealth/greed), depicted as a woman feeding pigs—the "enchanted ones" are stockbrokers and investors transformed into animals by their obsession with money. The sign reads "The Money Trust," referencing contemporary anxieties about concentrated financial power. The article "Bulls and Bears" mocks the irrational behavior of wealthy elites and brokers during summer trading. It uses absurdist humor: stocks "wading" in water, society matrons fleeing to Newport causing market fluctuations, brokers raiding wine cellars when their wives leave town, and banks theatrically steaming yachts to influence investor confidence. The satire targets the hollow materialism and herd mentality of the financial class—their decisions driven by fashion, gossip, and fear rather than fundamentals. The reference to the "Money Trust" suggests critique of Gilded Age financial manipulation and monopolistic banking practices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CIRCE MAMMON AND THE PIGS Chorus of Enchanted Ones: of, CIRCE, MAKE MEN OF US AGAIN! Bulls and Bears the opening Monday, stocks showed every evidence of yield- A‘ ing to the blandishments of summer. At about ten-thirty, several of the in- dustrials put on their bathing suits and waded about in the water, which Congress promises to squeeze out of the railroads, While this was going NOT REALLY SWEETHEARTS on, there came a report that the Bal- timore Putterers had rented their Newport cottage to the Pittsburgh Flashers. This caused a considerable flurry and many stocks bowed their heads in shame. It was taken to indi- cate a marked deterioration in fash- ionable society On Tuesday a number of the lead- ing brokers reported that their wives had gone to the country, As soon as this was put on the ticker, several restaurants on Fortieth and telephoned down to find out if it was indeed When immediately skipped down to their respective wine cellars, from which they filled their refrigerators with a variety of Prices smacked their lips. Newport was the favorite in the buying on Wednesday. Other activ Long Branch Comm Manhattan Beach Very Common. At- lantic City Extra Common, Asbury Broadway. between Forty-seventh streets. true. assured that it was, they choice vin issues were Park Fourth Preferred, Narragansett Pier and Bar Harbor. There was some little buying of Chautauqua, Lake George and Saratoga. Brokers claimed, that. these latter issues would show up better later on. Prices at first rolled up so as almost however, to assume the proportion of breakers. but along towards afternoon they quieted down and idly lapped the shi mering beach. On Thursday and Friday the mar- Ket was unusnall Prices went gently as an open boat in a land-locked harbor with breakwaters, steady up and down surrounded This was inter- preted as a good sign, and everybody who didn’t sell bought, and vice versa, if they had the money. If not, they borrowed it. Money was very easy— to lose. On Saturday the bank statement med down on its yacht from New London, After sitting around long enough for the brokers to get a good look at it, it steamed back.