Life, 1913-07-17 · page 35 of 44
Life — July 17, 1913 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes social commentary with railroad advertising. The main cartoon satirizes New York Mayor William Gaynor, shown as an overweight ballet dancer labeled "The Twirler Had Very Poor Support." The joke is ironic: Gaynor's official letter (reproduced below) complains about selfish, "big and fat" people hogging end seats on streetcars—yet the cartoon depicts Gaynor himself as precisely that figure, suggesting he's guilty of the very behavior he's condemning. The secondary content includes a quote defending professional humorists and a substantial railroad advertisement for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, promoting four express trains to New England. The satire critiques Gaynor's hypocrisy and self-unawareness, using visual caricature to underscore his letter's moral tone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
cen to, $08 al the sae lor heariek fe sche struction BASEBALL TALK ‘THE TWIRLER HAD VERY POOR SUPPORT Mayor Gaynor oa the End Seat Hog y of New York, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR. June 3, 1913. To the Honorable, the Board of Aldermen: The habit of all selfish peo- ple, and especially if they be big and fat, is to take the end place on the seats of the Summer cars, which run crosswise of the car, and stick there, instead of moving along to the other end as other people get on the car. This causes great inconvenience. All those who come after these selfish peo- ple have to climb over their legs and press by them as best they can. I would suggest to you to consider whether you should not pass an ordinance making this selfish practice a misdemeanor, and requiring those who enter cars with stoss seats to move as far in as there is a vacant space to sit down. The selfishness and hoggishness of some people in this matter is a distressing spectacle, to say nothing of the incon- Yenience which they cause, especially to mothers with little children. W. J. Gaynor, Mayor. Justifying the Professional Humorist It is imagined that wit is a sort of inexplicable visitation, that it comes and goes with the rapidity of lightning, and that it is quite as unattainable as beauty or just proportion. I am so much of a contrary way of thinking, that I am con- ‘inced a man might sit down as sys- tematically, and as successfully to the Sedy of wit, as he might to the study of mathematics; and I would answer for it, that, by giving up only six hours a &y to being witty, he should come on Prodigiously before midsummer, so that tis friends should hardly know bim ain —Sydney Smith. New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad On February 10th, 1913 Four Through Express Trains Joined together New York City AND Northern New England (Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont) “The Green Mountain “The Keene Express” “The Vermonter” “The State of Maine Express” Leave New York (G. C. Ter.) 8.03 A. M. Daily —via Springfield for Brattleboro, Bellows Falls, White River Junction, Wells River and Newport, Vt., arriving 9.15 P.M., Returning leave New- port 9.40 A.M. Arrive New York 10.35 P.M. Through Buffet Smoking Car, Parlor and Coaches. Leave New York (G. C. Ter.) 11.00 A. M. Daily except Sunday—via Springfield for Keene, N. H., arriving 5.40 P.M. Returning leave Keene 7.30 A.M. Arrive New York 2.05 P.M. Through Buffet Parlor Car and Coaches. Leave New York (G. C. Ter.) 11.50 A. M. Daily —via Springfield for White River Junction, ar- riving 7.20 P.M. Returning leave White River Junction 9.00 A.M. Arrive New York 4.42 P.M. Through Buffet Smoker, Parlor Car, Dining Car and Coaches. Leave New York (G.C. Ter.) 8.10 P. M. Daily —via Springfield and Worcester for Lowell, Mass., Plymouth, N. H., Portland, Augusta and Bangor, Me., arriving 11.45 A.M. Leave Bangor 3.45 P.M. weekdays, 1.15P.M. Sundays. Port- land 8.40 P.M., arrive New York 7.05 A.M. Through Sleeping Car to Plymouth, N. H., to Portland, Me. Through Coaches to Portland, Buffet Sleep- ing Car to Bangor, Me. Daily except Saturday to Bangor, and except Sunday from Bangor. Our ticket agents will give you full information. For Sleeping or Parlor Car space apply 171 Broadway or Grand Central Terminal, New York The New England Lines comicbooks.com