Life, 1915-05-06 · page 21 of 56
Life — May 6, 1915 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American government institutions through mock-serious definitions. The main cartoon depicts "Special Delivery"—a grotesque figure representing government bureaucracy, literally bursting with papers and complexity. The text mockingly describes Treasury as dependent on gold reserves, while bankers would otherwise resort to gambling. The Supreme Court is portrayed as deliberately obscuring justice through excessive lawyers and argumentation until outcomes become meaningless. The Post Office supposedly loses money while appearing profitable—held as a virtue through public deception. Other departments receive similar treatment: Agriculture housed "hayseed," the Weather Bureau serves the "Ananias Club" (liars), Fish Commission stocks empty waters, the White House functions as a vacation home for politicians, and the Capitol as merely a "branch office." The lower cartoon jokes about a boss's wife frying doughnuts—likely commentary on working-class domestic life or incompetent management. The satire attacks governmental inefficiency, corruption, and the gap between official purpose and actual function—a common Progressive Era critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE Snalh gag ANSI SPECIAL DELIVERY Our Country and Its Institutions “WE TREASURY: This is the place where all the money con- tributed by the people for the support of the government is kept, except that which is used by the politicians for their own support. Millions of dollars’ worth of solid gold are stored here, and this serves as the basis for our na- tional banking system, Without these millions, many of our most prominent bankers would be earning an honest living. There would also be no Wall Street, and many of our most respected citizens would have to depend almost entirely on faro, roulette and poker. The Supreme Court: This is where, usually several years or generations after the interested parties have passed away, all important law cases are tried, The case is first rendered as obscure as possible by as many lawyers as pos- sible. It is then taken to the Supreme Court, where the last semblances to reason, justice and common experi- ence are washed away; it is then argued until nobody cares what hap- pens, after which a decision is rendered 797 which forthwith becomes a part of the mental obscurity, sometimes re- ferred to as the Law of the Land. Post Office: A place where the an- nual loss to run it is arranged in such a way that it appears to make a profit, and this being the only depart- ment which is popularly thought to make a profit, it is therefore held up to an unsuspecting .people as a model of every virtue. Agricultural Department: Head- quarters for hayseed, of which there is always an ample supply on hand. Weather Bureau: Headquarters for the Ana Club. U.S. Fish Commission: This useful department constantly supplies with fresh fish all the streams and lakes in the country where no fish are ever caught. White House: A spacious building where our most prominent citizens are often invited to spend a four years’ vacation, resting up from their usual labors, State Department: Rooms occupied by the Assistant Secretary of State. Capitol: A branch office most prosperous papers. for our SAY, IS THE BOSS 'T'HOME?” “YyeYES, SHE'S FRYIN’ DOUGHNUTS.”