Life, 1914-07-09 · page 7 of 40
Life — July 9, 1914 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks a politician named Congressman Sharp through a series of cynical political observations. The text ridicules common political tactics: treating admissions as "boomerangs," using sarcasm instead of honesty, and employing obfuscation ("oratory is a thick ambush"). The accompanying illustration shows Sharp on a dock, apparently avoiding a group of constituents or petitioners on the left while conducting business on the right. The caption "ALL HIS OWN" suggests he's operating independently, possibly ignoring public input. The satire criticizes politicians who use rhetorical tricks and patronizing gestures ("useful is the ally who says nothing") while deflecting accountability. This reflects early-20th-century *Life* magazine's regular satirizing of political corruption and evasiveness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
¢ ane The Political Maxims of Congressman Sharp DMISSIONS are boomerangs. Answer statistics with the broad principles of political Sarcasm is safer than sanity. economy. When you get them on the run, head them for a The proposals of the minority, seasoned with oblivion, hill. make good planks for our platform, Down with the spoils system, down (into our pockets) ! Useful is the ally who says nothing; doubly useful if he Folks will forget—it never failed yet. talks all the time, still saying nothing. esmanship, like any ship, arrives by tacking. Keep the business out of the record. Oratory is a thick ambush, God Mess our native land! Amos R. Wells. ALL HIS OWN ~ comicbooks.com