Life, 1914-06-25 · page 38 of 45
Life — June 25, 1914 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Content: "Fable of the Man Who Was Convinced"** This satirical fable critiques outdated corporate management systems. Two business partners built a profitable company, but junior stockholders receive inadequate returns. The junior partner proposes modernizing the "antiquated" clerical department. The head partner dismisses this, revealing he copied their entire system from "the Firm of John Bull and Co." — a transparent reference to British business practices. **The Satire's Point:** The joke targets American businesses slavishly imitating British methods without innovation or adaptation. By having the head partner refuse modernization while defending a borrowed system, the author mocks stubborn executives clinging to outdated practices simply because they originate from prestigious British sources. The title "Fable of the Man Who Was Convinced" suggests ironic resignation — the partner will likely remain unconvinced despite obvious need for change. **Context:** This reflects early 20th-century American anxiety about business competitiveness and the tension between respecting British traditions versus embracing modern efficiency. The page is otherwise dominated by period advertisements for Long Island tourism, Maillard chocolates, and Chartreuse liqueur.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
aL ISESE= ve) Fable of the Man Who Was Convinced ONE upon a time there were two partners who, by working hard, wtioc had built up a large and eminently respectable business, from which there The “Superiority ” of Maillard was a good profit for the favored | few who had succeeded in getting hold of the stock at a low price. AILLARD'S Bonbons = We are bound to add, however, that 4 ror palit . among others not so favored, and who you can give to your friends: the felt that they also were stockholders, moat delicious you can eat youre. there was considerable dissatisfaction ir punty, Havor supenonty eM c have won for tl a a efer- because they were not receiving ade- ‘ Se ees quate returns for their services. This appreciate the qualities of “ fine is, however, another matter not ger- candies.” mane to our little story, and we merely secret throt mention it in passing to show that, Mabetecte (atom bane, wt assuming that all men are born equal, ‘ they rarely remain so. ct ili, Now the head partner was sitting in | Ps and full of ple- sorts to . : Vf tares of real ta- choose from with prices his office one day looking over the crop Maat ae Se St any rece reports, when the junior partner came / [BEAL CONDITIONS in and said: “I have an idea; a wonderful idea, FIFTH AVE., AT 35TH ST., NEW YORK full of the grandest possibilities, which will remedy every defect and, in fact, make every detail of our busi- [ONG ]SLAND ness. perfect” pe Coo : ; » Hy “What is that? a crystal clear soap “Well, you know that our clerical ) shag of the dulntgewo- ly Se depastment is not what it should be, . an, Lathers decaly : 5 : in” an; ; Only Seventeen and never was. It is an antiquated 4 ~ z Bay Send ze for your Maine's big game sea t vate” : é B) sample cake. Do aine’s big game season came to system! coeermes mle cake, Do Be; end isotie time ctiner, It is “Certainly,” said the head partner. ALG The Andrew roughly estimated by the State's in- “Tk , We t vied thezeyes 4 L iS ergcns Cac: spectors that ten thousand deer, now:that, We borrowed the sys ‘ ~ Dept. $9, Spring two Kutdred moose: sad accenteen tem from the Firm of John Bull and z Grove Avenues men were slaughtered in the inter- Co. when we left them and started itp Spoon ests of sport. Man pays quite a toll out for ourselves, and even made it for the privilege of gratifying his prehistoric instinct for killing. —National Humane Review. No: if six deer and ten thousand hunters had been killed it might be sadder still, as those hunters are not good eating and their heads, as trophies in the dining-room, would | | | e Se we THE SUPERB LIQUEUR OF THE AGES UNVARYING -IN CHARACTER UNSURPASSED IN EXCELLENCE THE MONKS’ FAMOUS CORDIAL At first-class Wine Merchants, Grocers, Hotels, Cafes BATJER & CO. 45 Broadway, New York, N. Y. Sole Agents for United States. prof brhaarsp ber Bian theo “Au! FINE HOTEL! REEPSTEAK SERVED IN BED” = = comicbooks.com