Life, 1913-05-22 · page 21 of 48
Life — May 22, 1913 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a "Sanctum Talks" satirical dialogue between Life magazine's editor and **Speaker of the House Champ Clark**. The joke centers on Clark's apparent delusion about his political importance. Clark confesses he cannot run for President again, lamenting that this means fine officials will leave office—implying *he alone* was the reason Democrats stayed in power and the public remained calm about Democratic governance. The editor mock-sympathetically responds that Americans have been "lying back" confident Clark would be their "next President," reassuring them through his mere presence. The satire mocks Clark's inflated ego: he believes the nation's stability depends entirely on him, when in reality he's a peripheral figure whose absence is irrelevant. The cartoon above (showing an Egyptian on a camel viewing pyramids) provides visual irony—ancient monuments dwarf the figure, suggesting Clark, like that traveler, overestimates his significance against larger historical forces. The piece lampoons vanity and self-importance in politics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sanctum Talks ELL. Lire, may I come in and sit down?” “You certainly may, Mr. Speaker Champ Clark is always welcome in this office. How is everything?” “Pretty fair. My, but I am glad I wasn't clected “That is the way we all feel, Mr. Clark, after it is over. How are they treating you down in Congress?” “Pretty fair, Lire, considering my limitations.” “Limitations! I didn't know you had any limitations. The idea of the Speaker of the House of Representa- tives having limitations! Great Heav- ens!” “But 1 have, Lire. In the first place lam apt to lose my temper.” “That is nothing.” “But you ought to hear me rap on the desk.” “That is nothing. If you lived in Antony: 1 SAY, DARLING, THIS BEATS THOSE OLD NILE DOATS FOR. SIGHT-SFEIN New York, Mr. Clark, you would hear a great many worse noises than that.” “Well I hear pretty bad noises in Congress, Lire, especially when the gentlemen from Alabama and the gentlemen from Tennessee and the gen- tlemen from Ohio and the gentlemen from Virginia get up. But that is not what I came in here to see you about.” “Go on, Mr. Kk. “This is a very important matter. Are all the doors closed?” “ Every door.” “Better shut down that window.” “Done!” “What do you think of Bryan?” “ Fine ‘man.” “ How do you like Woodrow?" “Very fine man.” “And what do you think of me, Lire?” “ Especially fine man.” “How do you like the members of the Cabinet?” All fine and dandy, Mr. Clark.” “Well, Lire, it would be a great pity to have all of those fine men go out of office permanently, wouldn't at “Yes, Mr. Clark.” “And all because I can't run for the Presidency again.” “What!” “T really mean it, Lire.” “You oppress me, Mr. Clark. I shall never get over this. Here the whole people have been lying back, knowing that there immediate trouble zhead, knowing that the tariff was raising the deuce with the income tax where possible, so that the Democrats would make fools of themselves; but we all rested serene in the thought that after it was all over with you would quietly come in and be our next Presi- dent 1” was This is too much! “Don't mention it badly as you do. Lire. I feel as G-g-o-0-d mornin; comicbooks.com