Life, 1914-11-12 · page 31 of 48
Life — November 12, 1914 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces mocking American institutions: **"Proceedings"** ridicules the U.S. Senate as frivolous and self-absorbed. Senators debate trivial matters (a recipe about bees, a hair tonic) while neglecting serious business. The joke: senators prioritize vanity (the "bald-headed row" applauds hair tonic discussion) over governance. "Sine die" (adjournment) suggests nothing substantive occurs. **"Kansas Boy"** cartoon shows a child amid a cyclone, joking he'd be blamed by his mother—absurdist humor about accepting blame for uncontrollable events. **"Bonds" section** criticizes New York State's road-financing scheme, where the state secures $100 million in roads but pays $232 million—satirizing wasteful government spending and financial mismanagement. **"Prospective Lodger"** and **"Editor"** cartoons appear to be separate, unrelated gags about observatory confusion and advertising pressures on publications. The page exemplifies *Life*'s satirical focus on governmental incompetence and financial corruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
aE RABS Proceedings THe Senate opened at the usual hour. Senator Spillway was immediately recognized, there being no more important business on hand than a new treaty with Russia. “I have here,” said the Senator, “the text of my famous receipt, ‘How to Know the Wild Bees from the Tame’, and I request that it be read by the clerk and run in the Congressional Record with a scare head.” Senator Peener was on his feet in an instant. “T object,” he said, “to this resolution taking place over the important matter which I brought up yesterday, and which was laid over on account of darkness, I have in my hands one of the most celebrated hair tonics in the world, a preparation that has been in our family for generations. Will this gentleman yield?” “T will always yield to a new hair tonic,” said Senator Spillway, amid applause from the bald-headed row. Other matters having been disposed of, such as deep 3 5 breathing, the best massage, etc., etc., the Senate adjourned ) Hs 2 sine die. : ‘ae Seeley Kansas Boy: 1F MAMMA WAS HERE SHE'D BLAME ME FOR THIS CYCLONE ONDS—A device of modern perfected finance by which New York State secures $100,000,000 worth of roads and pays $232,000,000 for them, Prospective Lodger: 1 DON’T THINK MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK “I THOUGHT YOU WANTED A BEDROOM, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU Editor: coop HEAVENS, LADIES! IF YOU WANT TO STAY IN WAS LOOKING FOR AN OBSERVATORY” THIS PAPER YOU'LL HAVE TO GO INTO THE ADVERTISING PAGES comicbooks.com