Life, 1913-05-08 · page 11 of 48
Life — May 8, 1913 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes the political ambitions of California Governor William Stephens Johnson and a rival named Bryan. The sketch shows a small man in a suit (likely Bryan) approaching a display of busts in what appears to be a hall of fame. The figures on the pedestals represent established political figures, with one apparently offering to step aside ("take my place, doc"). The accompanying text discusses Bryan as a "liberal character" and notes the competition between these political figures. The satire mocks the jostling for political prominence and the desire to secure a place in history among California's political elite. The cartoon suggests Bryan seeks to displace an established politician, treating political status as something literally exchangeable.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
same method is used in selecting the Ambassadors that are sent to us. Cer- tainly, Mr. Bryce, whom we have just parted with with so much reluctance and regret, was quite unlike any Eng- lishman ever before seen in this coun- try, or described by historians, or by travelers who have been to England. Ambassadors are much less represent- ative of democracy and the present stage of human progress than Mr. Bryan, who at this writing has gone West as the walking delegate of the federal union to try and settle the Proposed lockout of Governor John- son and the Californians against the Japanese. It is an interesting errand. Com- pared with Governor Johnson, Mr. Bryan is a liberal character. Of course, he-ought to be; for haven't we spent sixteen years of periodical effort THE HALL OF FAME “TAKE MY PLACE, DOC” on his education, whereas Governor Johnson is a new product, only heaved into sight two or three years ago, and subjected as yet to none but local West Coast influences, since one can hardly call his Bull Moose candidacy for Vice-President a national experience. Mr. Bryan is by nature amiable and by avocation nowadays a !eading advocate of peace. Governor yohnson uses hard words without compunction, and is of a temperament that is pleasantly ex- hilarated by a fight. Here's hoping, as Lire goes to press, that Mr. Bryan may prove to be a soothing and soften- ing influence on Governor Johnson. The California perplexity is the more interesting because the Leg- islature of that State now represents the largest number of women voters that vote for State legislators in this country. M*sY other interesting matters are under discussion in the papers: Governor Sulzer’s clarion revolt in be- half of direct primaries gets attention; Mr. Brandeis seems to have had the best of it in his latest round with Mr. Mellen, and there are those who claim to see indications that Mr. Mellen is getting groggy; Mrs. Belmont has gone to Paris to help Christobel Pankhurst devise new obstacles to the success of the suffrage cause in England, and hearts stand still at thought of the calamity it would be if she should like Paris and conclude to retire from pub- lic life in these States. And so the great cause of the New Freedom gallops on, comicbooks.com