Life, 1914-03-12 · page 14 of 44
Life — March 12, 1914 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes prison reform debates of the early 20th century. The cartoon depicts a prisoner in striped uniform declaring "We have nothing to conceal," a sardonic comment on reformers' arguments for improving jail conditions. The accompanying letters mock advocates calling for more comfortable prisons—better food, hotel-like amenities, and "pretty quick" reforms. Critics argue these proposals are absurd, comparing prisoner care to hospitality. One letter sarcastically suggests charging prisoners "porterhouse steak" fees. The satire targets the tension between humanitarian prison reform and public skepticism about coddling criminals. The prisoner's statement ironically suggests prisoners have nothing to hide from scrutiny, while simultaneously mocking reformers' idealism about institutional improvement. The rabbit photograph's caption appears unrelated to the prison debate.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“We have nothing to conceal” horsemeat, price 1c per Ib, and marking it ‘ porterhouse’ in bill, as usual, “*O shock of scandal!’ holla Hon. Prison Reform, of suddenly unbutton- ing dishguise and showing who was. ‘We now can sce how hideously you conduct this institution among Demo- cratic politics! !? “*We have nothing to conceal away,’ proudily snuggest Hon, Boss Jailer, defly poking a dead prisoner into cold storage room, ‘This prison are run like a hotel.’ “*Like hotel! !” snarrel Hon. Prison Reform hashly. ‘You mean tell me this while you stand there all day tak- ing bribes?? “*T am head waiter in this hotel,’ he dib like Dukes. ‘Therefore it is my duty to take bribes.’ “*You charge prisoners for porter- house steak yet feed them horsemeat!’ discharge Hon. Reform. “LIFE: “*Considerable chefs in Broadway kostileries does likewise to rich tra ellers and nothing is heard but praise. This from him. “*You should get lynched!’ derange Hon, Reform. ‘You speak impolite- hess to your lodgers while enlocking them in damp room: “*Are hotel clerks ever lynched for doing similar to their guests?’ that wicked man ask out, ‘Answer is, No! Then why should you raise that con- demnable voice against me because | give criminological prisoners free what strangers in N. Y. is declighted to 6$ per day for get it?’ “No response for Hon, Prison Re- form who elope away to Albany for tell Hon. Glynn to remove some more stripes from Tammany.” Mr Editor, my 4 cousin say more in his letter, but it was of such a sacred and criminal nature that I could not send it to your refined printer. Yet I ask to know. Should not our prisons be made more comfortable pretty quick? Hon, Pres, Wilson and Hon. Boss Lawyer McReynolds is in- tending for to send so many respectable wealths to jail that it seems very heightened time to get some more Wal- corf into our prisons or they will be deliciously unfit for nice people to congregate inside, And if R R Mag- nets, Interlocking Directors, Standard Oilers etc. does not feel comfortable inside they can soonly hire corporation lawyers to break jail for them. Of this you can bet your bootware. Also, we must create prettier prisons if we continue on sending novelists to jail like we do so oftenly. Otherwisely they will find so many rats, keepers, microbes, smells and other horrors in those lock-up places that they only need to go there to get rich typewriting about it and emerge out more talkative than when they emerged in. Hoping you are the same Yours truly Hasnimcra Toco, (Per Wallace Irwin.) Aids to Thrift HAT [ can't understand,” re- marked the Hon. Tom Noddy, when they were once ag: ated, “is why so many are interested in having me save my money. In no other re- spect do I find people so considerate of my welfare. I do not observe an body helping me to get my rent re- duced or helping me to p: but they are willing to spend vast sums in advertising in the newspapers, trol- nd elsewhere: Let Us Help Your Money to U “Of course, 1 wouldn't think « questioning anyone's motives, but it does seem curious that the my taxes, ie crowd of men who will organize a trust and gouge me unmercifully will turn right around and spend their hard-earned dollars trying to teach me lessons in thrift. No doubt I should be thankful, but I can’t understand it.” HOWARD: A fool and his money are soon parted, Mrs. Howarp (clapping her hands) : Oh, John! How much are you going to give me? at Frere | The Rabbit: 1 CAN READ THAT WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO SPELL