Life — October 31, 1912 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts a massive wall of large numbers ("3," "5," "0") blocking small human figures below. Each number displays a different "but" excuse: "It was a fine chance, but—he's a good man on the job, but I would like to harry George, but—" and similar qualified statements. The cartoon satirizes bureaucratic obstruction and the eternal excuse-making that prevents action or progress. The "eternal barrier" appears to reference how organizations (likely government or business) hide behind numerical standards, regulations, or administrative procedure, while spouting conditional language that perpetually delays decisions. The specific references are unclear without more context, but the satire targets how qualified praise ("he's good, but...") and procedural walls prevent merit-based advancement or necessary changes—a timeless critique of institutional inertia.