Life, 1915-08-12 · page 9 of 40
Life — August 12, 1915 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a cartoon and two opinion pieces. The cartoon depicts a domestic scene on a porch where two men discuss sending brandy to a drowning victim's rescuer, while a woman listens. The humor relies on the absurdity of the gesture. Below, "The Wrong Sentiment" discusses John R. Lawson, imprisoned for life for a murder he claims he didn't commit. The piece argues that sentiment about property matters more than justice for human life. Two letters respond: one sarcastically suggesting Judge Hillyer should have hanged Lawson to please those prioritizing property rights, and another by "E.S. Martin" critiquing society's misplaced values regarding the poor versus the wealthy. The page satirizes class bias in the justice system and public sympathy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“PLEASE, MUM, YE REMEMBER SENDIN’ SOME BRANDY TO A FELLER WE LAST ToospAy?” “Yes, WHAT oF IT?” “HE FELL IN AGAIN TO-DAY.” be so much respected. He is a cog, but only for about one-twelfth of his time. The rest of his time he uses for himself. We cannot all hope to do as well as Edison and have eighteen hours a day to spare, but we should have what we can and waste it for our good, even though we have to apply ourselves uncomfortably hard in our cog hours. E, S. Martin. Lt us aid the starving peons, Let us feed them well until Messrs. Villa and Carranza Think they’re fat enough to kill. The Wrong Sentiment Oo in Colorado the other day John R. Lawson, who has been sentenced to imprisonment for life for a murder he did not commit, made this statement in a hearing for a new trial: Solemnly facing iron bars and prison walls, I assert my love for justice and my faith in its ultimate triumph; not a justice of theory, but of reality extending to men, women and children whose equality of opportunity it embraces. Of course the remark did no good, and Mr. Lawson's counsel should AVED FROM DROWNDIN’ have so advised him in advance. How much better had he said: Utterly contemptuous of iron bars and prison walls. I assert my love of dollars and my faith in the ulti- mate triumph of property. With dollars in plenty one can be guilty or not guilty, sane or insane, as he chooses. Then ho for the dividends, no matter how many men, women and children are crushed in the struggle! If Judge Granby Hillyer had heard those words he would probably have fallen on Mr. Lawson's neck and wept for joy, and they all would have lived happily ever after. E. 0. J. comicbooks.com