Life, 1915-07-22 · page 17 of 44
Life — July 22, 1915 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine cartoon satirizes **William Barnes**, a corrupt Republican political boss in New York who was involved in a notorious libel suit with Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. The cartoon shows Uncle Sam as a tailor, examining Barnes (depicted as a tiny figure) against various consumer products laid out on a table—suggesting Barnes is being measured and found inadequate. The satire's point: Despite his public statements opposing "State Socialism" and defending constitutional conservatism, Barnes is exposed as a hypocrite. The caption's irony ("I AM AFRAID HE'S A FEW SIZES TOO SMALL") mocks his moral stature. The article beneath sarcastically notes how convenient it is that this corrupt figure—made infamous by Roosevelt—continues opposing "democratic progress" rather than resigning in shame. The cartoon criticizes machine politics and oligarchic control masquerading as constitutional principle.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Uncle Sam: As Advertised “It is my intention to attempt to write into the Constitution provisions which will prohibit the Legis- lature passing laws which tend toward State So- cialism.” THOSE staunch words are from the lips of the im- mortal William Barnes, Republican stand-pat boss in New York, who is now a member of the convention which is revising New York’s Constitution and whose corruption 1 AM AFRAID HE'S A FEW SIZES TOO SMALL was made famous by Colonel Roosevelt. It is a pleasure to note that in’ spite of the revelations in the Syracuse libel suit Mr. Barnes proposes to stand by his colors and continue to oppose democratic progress wherever it threatens. How awful it would have been if he had become miffed at that verdict and resigned his high posi- tion, or, retaining it, had resolved to devote his efforts to provisions which would prohibit laws tending toward State Bossism! comicbooks.com