Life, 1915-11-25 · page 40 of 44
Life — November 25, 1915 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Editorial Satire ("Why We Are Prosperous"):** This piece satirizes contradictory financial reporting. The text mocks newspapers claiming the West prospers from *large* crops (billion bushels of wheat/oats) while simultaneously reporting the South prospers from *reduced* cotton crops. The satire's point: financial writers employ circular logic disconnected from common sense—prosperity apparently springs from both abundance AND scarcity, revealing that financial journalism is inherently nonsensical. The accompanying Senator Fessenden quote (1862) drives home the satire: even learned financial experts never agree, so ordinary people shouldn't feel ignorant when "nobody is competent to instruct us." **Advertisements:** The page is largely ads (nature books, depilatory powder, soothing cream, Thanksgiving beverages)—typical for Life magazine, which balanced editorial content with commercial revenue.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1024 “LIFE: Why We Are Prosperous WE read in the financial columns of the Sun that prosperity reigns in different sec- tions of the country. The West is prosperous because “more than a billion bushels of wheat is indicated and more than 1,500,000,000 bushels of oats, record yields both, and more than three million bushels of corn, only a little below the average.” , In the next paragraph we read that the South is prosperous because “a relatively reduced crop of cotton is putting the South in funds.” Thus we see that prosperity comes from small crops as well as from large, which only goes to prove that finance and financial writing possess intricacies that have no necessary connection with common sense. GIVE THESE BOOKS TO THE NATURE LOVER! Four wonderful little Yolumes that give the key to nature’s Wonders—identifying instantly trees, flowers, birds, butterflies— * THE MOST APPRECIATED OF GIFTS 1 call these books “ The Pocket Nature Library""—4 volumes — ‘with 700 colored plates and each illustration is fully described in simple language. Each book is handy pocket size, 314x534, and bound in flexible leather—Lile companions on woodsy-walks—that have a fund of information and entertainment that is never-failing and which will provide a source of pleasure for years to come. ach book is written by an authority on the subject—“The Tree Guide” by Juka Ellen Rogers: “Land Birds” by Chester A. Reed: “Flower Guide” by Chester A. Reed: SELECT THIS SET OF BOOKS FOR YOUR NATURE-LOVING FRIENDS ! $4.50—Examination free— by using the coupon attached r” Pocket Nature Library four volumes all charges pad. If the Books are sate Evans’s Depilatory Powder removes objectionable hair safely and temporarily. There is no safe way to remove hair permanently. for complete outfit including pow. 50 cents f2,°omiting dish and apse xi drug- and department-stores,or by mail. Money back if you want it. Evans’s Soothing Cream, 25 cents The smoothest and most soothing cold cream At drug- and department-s.cres or by mail GEORGE B EVANS 1108 Chestast St Philadelphis “T DECLARE here to-day that in the whole number of learned financial men that I have consulted I never have found any two of them agree; and therefore it is hardly worth while for us to plead any very remarkable degree of ignorance when nobody is competent to instruct us.” This remark was made by Senator William Pitt Fessenden in the United States Senate on February 12, 1862. Is it not quite as true to-day as it was then? “My cross-examination didn’t seem to worry you much,” said the famous lawyer to the witness after the trial. “ Have you had any previous experience?” “ Just a little,” replied the witness sar- castically, “I have six children.” —Ladies’ Home Journal. All Ready for an Oid . Fashioned ‘Thanksgiving Waiting at your Dealers or write to comicbooks.com meat after Ke prot Se Hol Loe milk coon dige mult yell sen: for