Life, 1913-09-04 · page 16 of 40
Life — September 4, 1913 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Who Killed Little Old Wall Street?"** is a satirical finger-pointing exercise about financial collapse. Multiple culprits claim responsibility: railroads (fraudulent bonds), brokers (market manipulation), the "Bull Mooser" (Theodore Roosevelt's trust-busting), and muckrakers (sensationalist journalism). All are silenced when "Public Opinion" arrives—the real killer. The joke: everyone blames each other, but public sentiment and loss of confidence ultimately destroyed market trust. **"The New Modes"** cartoon mocks women's suffrage activism. A woman proudly shows her fashionable new dress to "Uncle Henry," who sarcastically praises it because "nobody can have you arrested for carrying concealed weapons"—referencing suffragettes' militant tactics (arson, property destruction). The implication: militant suffragettes are so dangerous they're practically weaponized. This reflects contemporary alarm over British suffragette violence (forcible feeding is mentioned in the caption above). Both pieces employ heavy-handed satire typical of *Life*'s conservative editorial stance toward progressive reform movements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
388 “While there is Life there's Hope” Published by LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY J. A. Mirensi, Pres't. A. Mittre, Sec’y and Treas. 17 West Thirty-first Street, New York English Offices, Cannon House, Breams Bldgs. London, E. C. — SEPT. 4, 1913 eho | WING to Mr. Martin's absence in Europe, readers of Lire will be deprived of his” editorials during the next few issues. { THE BEST SELLER Who Killed Little Old Wall Street? ‘T said the Railroad, “I did it with my Bond Issues, my common and preferred, and my delightfully opaque system of bookkeeping. I killed Wall Street.” “G'wan!” said the Broker. “ You're a bit of a joker. I killed the Street. I did it with my rigging and pyramiding and cornering. I'm the guy—if you really want to know— who killed the Street.” “T did it,” said the Bull Mooser, “when I crushed the trusts, too, sir—I killed the Street. With the use of the judiciary and my western friends backing me up, not to mention stump speeches and other devices—I fixed, Wall Street.” “'Twas I,” said the Muckraker. “I may be a fakir, but I did this complete. With my picturesque writing and magazine biting—I jugged the Street. Which makes me laugh mildly—though I often act wildly—'twas I killed the Street.” And they all bowed their heads, for they knew the right one had come along at last. “I did it—no minion am I. Tam Public Opinion—'twas I killed Wall Street.” “DERGERLY spends most of his time writing letters to the papers.” “But if he has any literary talent why doesn’t he write books?” “Think of the difference in the size of the audience!” BALA Rl oe I HEAR YOU PORKER.” “INDEED, YES, I'VE BEEN A MILITANT EVER SINCE I HEARD OF THE FORCIBLE FEEDING.” HAVE JOINED TILE SUFFRACETTES, MISS The New Modes * WAS HENRY,” asks the sweet creature, appearing before that gentleman in one of the newest “crea- tions” in the way of frocks, “how do you like my new gown?” “Well,” grumbles the grizzled old misanthrope, “ you're safe in one respect. Nobody can have you arrested for carrying concealed weapons.” A PASSING FANCY comicbooks.com