Life, 1915-03-18 · page 35 of 40
Life — March 18, 1915 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines a **Sanatogen health tonic advertisement** (center-right) with a satirical **editorial essay on government inefficiency** (left column). ## The Advertisement The Sanatogen ad features what appears to be **Colonel Watterson** (a noted public figure of the era), shown holding a testimonial letter endorsing the product. The ad appeals to readers by suggesting that if prominent, powerful men endorse Sanatogen, ordinary people should too—implying the tonic restores vitality and energy to overcome career-threatening health problems. ## The Editorial Satire The left column satirizes **passive citizenship**. It argues that governments remain inefficient and self-serving because citizens docilely accept them without demanding accountability. The piece uses caustic humor: governments are so incompetent that we should be grateful they do *nothing*—if they actually tried to govern, things would be worse. Citizens pay taxes without protest, occasionally grumble, but never challenge governmental supremacy. The satire suggests Americans tolerate lazy, self-perpetuating bureaucracies because confronting them requires effort citizens won't expend.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
) . You, too, : iS | \\ would write : wh GEN’ ee SS such a letter! Be et OMETIMES when you read let- y : tom p x ters like this from Col. Watterson e and other noted men of affairs who have endorsed Sanatogen, you cannot ' help but wonder—‘Why did they kK : son 3 ‘ os write such letters?” 7 = ‘ aus a And truly, it is remarkable—for such ‘ men rarely endorse any article. And yet, even though YOU were one of 4 Non-governing Governments j the world’s leaders, you, too, would OK the sake of governments, let write just such a letter! us hops they will never be called a ON eee For imagine yourself in such a upon to do sny governing. It is dread- rae os man’s place—at the height of your ful to contemplate what would happen wt Tan et “ powers, but handicapped by ; if those slow-going, inefficient things as 4 stubborn ill-health that threatens called governments really had to be- il were i j your very career. stir themselves and demonstrate their ‘ Tiuht and Biseis lo rote peo al pe doo c et a : es take Sanatogen, and as it feeds an They owe their eminence and their e " rebuilds the impoverished nerve reputations and their comparative free- 3 en i 7 o cells, you FEEL the old-time vital. dom from friction to the docility of ee : weer - ity return, with a new vigor ofmind abel the human race. What could be more . atl and a new elasticity of body— Live's lamb-like than human beings? With “ ; Wouldn’ f aso ing in the steerage at Ellis Island, we oe wee wt even eager, to tell others the ; walk up and hand in our taxes for the é cont ‘ good that Sanatogen had done é support of governments which do noth- ro ve for you just as Col. Watterson ing for us. The governments gather 3 ae and scorcs of other noted in the money and spend it for their aa people have done? own perpetuation and comfort. “If Sanatogen is sold by * een tteh i re in thre: occasionally we feel a little dissatisfied Soave eprpubere in three Grand Prize International Con Medi SAN ATO ENDORSED BY OVER 21.000 PHYSICIANS * Written in his attractive manner and filled s ealth and contentinent. It is FREI Tear this off as a reminder to address THE BAU AL CO,, 24-E Irving Place. New York, about the whole proceeding we get to- gether and disagree about candidates we have met and about issues we do not understand; but, of course, we Go not challenge the supremacy of gov- ernments, and so they go’on gathering in our money and having the easiest time imaginable. BO. Fi te oO, - FoR MEN OF BRAINS “YJHY, say, a man’s as safe in Mexico City as he is in Chi- GARS cago!” “Is it as bad as that?” -MADE AT KEY WEST—