Life — February 17, 1916 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon poses a question about what a new political "ward boss" will be like, presenting two contrasting scenarios: **Left side:** Shows a traditional corrupt political boss at a desk, surrounded by attendants and symbols of venal power—suggesting the old model of machine politics with bribery and patronage. **Right side:** Depicts a man with a telescope or surveying instrument, appearing to represent a more "modern" or reformed approach to political leadership. The joke likely critiques anxieties about political reform in early 20th-century America. "Ward bosses" controlled urban political machines through patronage and corruption. The cartoon asks whether the new generation will break from this corrupt tradition or merely represent a different style of the same system. The title suggests readers choose which future they expect.