Life, 1912-10-31 · page 17 of 44
Life — October 31, 1912 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life magazine contains multiple satirical pieces targeting early 1900s American politics, likely from around 1912 (the "Bull Moose" references suggest Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party campaign). **Top cartoon**: Shows a car accident at a bridge with a chauffeur reassuring his passenger they're heading home. The "Imperturbable Chauffeur" joke satirizes nonchalance in dangerous situations—a common motif for poking fun at class differences and servant behavior. **Main text ("Lamentations!")**: Life explains that their recent "Bull Moose Number" (celebrating Roosevelt's third-party candidacy) was largely destroyed in a printing accident in Milwaukee, and a substitute issue ran instead. This is self-deprecating humor about their own publication disaster. **"Politics in the Zoo"**: A brief joke where zoo animals fighting over food mirrors political conflict—the donkey eating the disputed item suggests political figures are as predictable and base as animals. **Bottom section**: Satirizes political campaign fundraising with absurd donation requests and questions about government positions, mocking the transactional nature of Gilded Age politics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ind Guest: YOU BUBDLE—BUBBLE—ASTED Fv! TAKING ME STRAIGHT HOME? Imperturbable Chauffeur: ves, sir. at its head, reached Washington at midnight, where President Taft hap- pened to be sleeping. The White House was closely guarded by New gland representatives of the Woolen Trust, but they finally consented to let the President talk. He said: “All hope is now lost. [ am out of politics for good. Dr. Cook, of course, outprogresses anything already in the field; besides, the American people have confidence in Cook and Peary. Nothing remains for me but to become the traveling salesman for some New England mill.” After consulting with our candidates we have decided to accept no coniribu- tion of less than $9999.99. Any corner grocery store will take your contribu- tion. A beautiful hand-painted receipt. embossed with a picture of Dr. Cook discovering the North Pole and Com- modore Peary just coming over the horizon, will be sent to every sub- scriber. In forwarding your subscrip- tion please state: How much you would like your taxes reduced If married, whether you would like your next child to he a bey or a girl, bo YOU CALL THIS RIVER FLOWS KIGHT BY THE HOUSE, If not entire! tistied with your in- come, state how much you would like to have it increased. What position you would like under the Government. If Foreign Minister, please give a choice of two countrics. Reports from everywhere indicate at present writing the sure election of L candidates. A prominent poli- tician who is in a positon ts know, said yesterday : ‘ook will get it. He promises more than any other candidate—that is the test. Besides. we need a man like Commodore Peary to lead Washing ton society.” Politics in the Zoo OO SUPERINTENDENT: What was all the rumpus out here this morning ? Attenpant: The bull moos: elephant were fighting over th “What happened?” “The donkey ate it.” USTOM House Inspectors rush in where een reporters fear to tread. 2093 Lamentations ! ANY of our readers may havg noticed that the last number of Lire, widely advertised as a Bull lacked pleteness and finality that any one Moose Number, that com- might have been led to expect from the subject. Of course, it was due We rejoice that he is all right in, but alas! things will never be the Bull Moose hurt: much to the accident to the Colonel. same with us. That Number of Lire more than Mr. Roosevelt. was Eighty-four thousand copies had been printed when the tragic came from Milwaukee. Those eighty-four thousand cop- ies of the real Bull Moose Number After the paper had been running on the presses for two days and nights, a new paper was substituted—with the exception news were destroyed. of the colored cover, which could Bull readers not be Moose changed—and the Number, as actually saw it, came out on time! This is a typographical triumph which will be appreciated by all who understand the problems of printing. our As for the things that the original Bull Moose Number coatained— well, the world will never know what it missed! OUSEHOLD WORDS in’ yez. I'm lav- TYPOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING EXTENDED AND ASTRONOMICAL SIGNS APTER A SLUG CAMBRIDGE comicbooks.com