Life, 1913-03-06 · page 17 of 72
Life — March 6, 1913 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on early 20th-century American life: **"Easter Song"** is a light satirical poem mocking Easter's secular commercialization—bonnets, candy, romance ("Ars Amandi")—replacing religious observance. It jokes that people abandon "confession" and sobriety for parades and fashionable display. **"A Real Reform"** satirizes Senator Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina, who apparently proposed banning smoking during Senate executive sessions. The author argues this is misguided: smoking causes no real harm (and might even benefit some senators by shortening their lives). However, the piece suggests a *genuinely useful* reform would be abolishing *talking* in the Senate—a common complaint about politicians' endless speechifying. The accompanying illustration depicts **Death** (the Grim Reaper with hourglass and scythe), captioned with Death's belief that "things" are moving about—likely referencing the senator's proposal as trivial compared to mortality's larger concerns. The tone is typical Life magazine irreverence: mocking both commercial religiosity and legislative futility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 bo BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS MOVING ABOUT ON IT.” Easter Song Ji a song in season!— Bonnets, belles and beaux; Fling a flout at reason, And a jibe at prose! Life runs now in meter; Ribbons are the thing: These—and much that's sweeter— Easter brings! Violets and candy, Foibles, frolics, fairs; And the Ars Amandi In the place of prayers! We have paid the piper, Now for—other thing: Buds—and much that’s riper— Easter brings! We have had confession, Somber, sober, staid; Now for the procession, Now for the parade! After stew and stammer Over sins—and things, O the glow and glamour Easter brings! Cc. S. A Real Reform ENATOR TILLMAN of South Carolina wants smoking abolished during the Executive Sessions of the Senate. Isn't this a foolish and un- necessary reform? Smoking docs no real harm, beyond being disagreeable. If it actually shortened the lives of some of our Senators it might even be a good thing. But this isn’t proved. If Senator Tillman would only start a movement to abolish talking in the enate we would stand with him and soul. OPE took the hedge in a single leap; fear went a mile around, and found bad going. comicbooks.com