Life — April 9, 1914 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Big Pale-Face Chief" This political cartoon depicts a Native American figure on horseback wielding a tomahawk and sword, adorned with what appear to be scalps or trophies labeled with references to railroad companies ("HIGH BANK," "INTERLOCKING DIRECTORATES"). The figure rides energetically across clouds of smoke. The satire appears to critique powerful railroad magnates or corporate chiefs of the era, sarcastically calling them a "Big Pale-Face Chief." The Native American imagery inverts typical stereotypes—rather than portraying Indigenous peoples as violent, the cartoon uses this framing to mock wealthy industrial leaders as ruthless and warlike in their business practices. The labeled scalps suggest they've "conquered" or destroyed competing railroad interests through interlocking directorates and monopolistic practices.