Life — November 21, 1912 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (November 21, 1912) This editorial page celebrates Woodrow Wilson's election as President. The text praises Wilson as an intellectual and capable administrator, contrasting him favorably with Colonel Harvey (a Republican promoter) who had initially supported Wilson but is now dismissed as having merely been a convenient tool. The satirical cartoons mock Harvey's overconfidence in believing he "made" Wilson's presidency. Small illustrations show figures in humorous, diminished poses—typical Life magazine style mocking of political figures. The underlying joke: Harvey thought he controlled Wilson, but Wilson proved to be the superior political talent who outmaneuvered his supposed kingmaker. The page also congratulates four states—Oregon, Michigan, Arizona, and Kansas—for voting for women's suffrage, showing Life's progressive stance on that issue.