Life, 1916-11-09 · page 17 of 40
Life — November 9, 1916 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine concerns the 1916 presidential election between incumbent President Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) and challenger Charles Evans Hughes (Republican). The satirical cartoon depicts shells and explosions labeled "The Price of Everyday Necessities," critiquing the cost-of-living impact on ordinary Americans during wartime. The article discusses Mexico as a vulnerable political point. Hughes has attacked Wilson's Mexican policy—likely referring to border raids and revolutionary instability. The satire suggests that whoever wins will face the same intractable problem: Mexican bandits and disorder cannot be solved by rhetoric or policy alone, only by military intervention, which would prove unpopular domestically. Colonel George Harvey (mentioned in the text) was a prominent Republican political figure and Hughes supporter. The piece implies the election remains genuinely close despite Harvey's confident predictions, comparing it to a close Yale-Harvard boat race. The article critiques campaign lies, particularly Lodge's claims about American stability under Wilson.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
eneeetttte eens has been rubbed in to beat the truth. Now, either the chief factor in our al- leged disgrace has had notice of dis- missal, or he has had a vote of con- fidence and orders to go on. Either way, for the very land’s sake, let us feel better and hold our heads a little higher. Whoever is elected, we have a great part to play in the world, and should make bold at once to play it, and give due backing and more to whom- soever is elected to lead us. If the Republicans are coming in, let us hold them to the task of repairing the in- juries which they represent to have bruised the honor of the nation. If the Democrats stay in let us insist that they justify their calling, and their guidance of the incomparable mechanism which they are trusted to steer. Praise be, the weary job of electing a President is done, and we are out of the doldrums and can make sail again and get somewhere. Who is chosen matters less than we think, What matters is the honor of the United States. Whoever has been chosen its guardian, let him look to his job. THE feeblest-looking episode of the present administration has been Mexico. The Colonel showed good judgment when he picked it as the most vulnerable point to attack, and he shelled it good and plenty. If we are to have a change of government, A TRIFLE OUTRANGED no outcome of it will be more in- teresting than the effort of a Hughes administration to better the Wilson performance down there. There is no visible means of doing it but to go in and take charge of the coun- try, and to that there will be just about as much disinclination on the part of the Republican voters as there is among Democrats. It is possible that President Wilson's public declarations that he would not interfere with the medication of Mex- ican troubles by revolution has been an encouragement to Mexican evil-doers, and that the coming in of an adminis- tration here with a professed purpose to do differently might have a moral effect down there that would make for abatement of mischief. But probably it wouldn't. Bandits are not much subject to moral effect, and those in Mexico will probably con- tinue their activities until they are cleaned up. If a Republican adminis- tration undertakes systematically to clean them up it will doubtless have all there is of Mexico on its back in short order, and no more than a divided backing for its efforts from its parti- sans at home. In this matter as in many others it would be a consolation and an entertainment to many Demo- crats to watch Mr. Hughes’ efforts to rectify the mistakes he has charged against Mr. Wilson. Nevertheless, the country is far more concerned for the country than it is for either political party, and if Mr. Hughes gets a chance at Mexico what- ever his methods are it will want to see them succeed. OLONEL GEORGE HARVEY has disclosed that the election is going for Hughes, but his confidence has a narrow margin, and most of us are in doubt. The contest is like the Yale-Harvard boat race of two years . ago where the boats were virtually even, each forging ahead in turn as its nose felt the oars, and Yale won be- cause the line came as her stroke ended. As Lire goes to press there is a fine run of campaign lies, which first help and then harm the side that offers them. The latest is the one offered— in good faith, no doubt—by Mr. Lodge, which is just a little too bad to operate. One reads in the street cars Mr. Wil- son’s assertion: America stands serene and confi- dent, mighty and proud, example of peace and liberty in a world aflame. Not so with the voters. They are neither serene, confident nor proud. They are anxious to get it over. It will be a vast compliment to Mr. Wil- son's successes if election discovers that they outweigh his fizzles. “You cannot repeal a surrender,” says Mr. Hughes, and he ought to know. For he has tried to repeal his surrender to the Germans. Good-bye, campaign! comicbooks.com