Life, 1913-08-14 · page 11 of 40
Life — August 14, 1913 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page critiques business lobbyists and their influence on government. The article argues that despite claims of addressing "business interests," lobbyists have long maintained a Washington presence to secure tariffs and favorable policies—"tinkering and picking" at government for private gain rather than public benefit. The top photograph shows what appears to be a business transaction or negotiation involving automobiles, illustrating modern commercial activity. The cartoon below depicts anthropomorphic animals (appearing to be oxen or cattle) with one saying "Come on down. It's awfully bull without you"—a visual pun playing on "bull" (both the animal and meaning nonsense). This satirizes the absurdity of business lobbying practices, suggesting such activities are fundamentally dishonest or foolish, regardless of era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Nothing New Under the Sun There must be a stop put to the daily slamming of business interests by legislators, to. this tinkering and picking at busi- ness, which is more sensitive than the human eye, by those who, with the best intentions, do not seem to realize that their election did not endow them with any more experience and knowledge of any business subject than they had before. —The Steel and Metal Digest. Bt who has brought about the necessity for doing this but the “business interests” themselves? For years they have maintained a lobby at Washington, until the abuse became so flagrant that public opinion pilloried it. It was a common practice for big business to con- tribute immense sums of moncy to maintain their political party in power. The high and constantly increasing tariff maintained was the direct result of “tinkering and pick- ing” at the government by business*men whose sole object was to advance their own fortunes, irrespective of the whole people. Now they naturally resent being disturbed. And they are issuing the same old crics that have been heard since the world began. RST DRAMATIC CRITIC: Great play, isn’t it? Seconp D. C.: Do you like it? “ Well, our advertising manager thinks it’s immense.” “COME ON DOWN. 17S AWFULLY DULL WITHOUT You” comicbooks.com