Life, 1921-05-05 · page 12 of 46
Life — May 5, 1921 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features an interview with **Hiram Johnson, late of California**, presented as satire. The top cartoon shows Johnson at a desk with the caption "I'm a Bad Man from the Golden Gate." The "Sanctum Talks" section mocks Johnson's self-presentation as a rough outsider ("bad man from the Golden Gate") while Life's editor questions his actual accomplishments and pretensions. Johnson claims to have shaken up New York politics and frightened foreign nations, but the interviewer skeptically probes whether his boasts hold substance. The satire targets Johnson's apparent self-aggrandizement—his insistence on his own importance contrasted with the editor's gentle debunking suggests Johnson was a California politician overestimating his influence or credibility in Eastern political circles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“CUM A RAD MAN FROM THE GOLDEN GATE.” Sanctum Talks LIFE presents Mr. Hiram Johnson, late of California . Hiram, what have {f| you got to say for your- | self?” <“ What should T have to say for myself? Di you ever hear me ything for myself? “There was a time—” “But, Lire * But, Hiram—" “Don't call me Hiram. I feel undigni- fied enough already associating with that New York Traction gang, and—and—” “Well, what, Mr. Johnson?” “Trying to get some California culture into brother Hylan.” “Does he need it?” “Lire, you don’t know the half of it. However, that isn’t what I came in to see you about. Are we alone?” “We are, Hiram Johnson, but don’t worry. I'll sce that it all gets ou “Good! 1924 is coming and every little helps. Now then, Lire, what’s the matter with me? I may be slightly pro-German, and I may hate myself too much, but somehow or other I just miss it. I'm a scrapper! I'ma bad man from the Golden Gate.” hat sounds as if you were getting acclimated to New York, Mr. Johnson. The difference between the Golden Gate and Hell Gate—” “Don't interrupt me. When I rattle my teeth the cupolas tremble, the shingles slide off the roof, and foreign nations faint with fear, [’'m one hundred and thirty per cent. Milwaukee American at least. Then what is it 1 lack?” “Nothing, Mr. Johnson, nothing. On the contra “You mean—?" “T mean that you have too much.” “Too much! Impossible! Too much of what?” “OF the Culture.” “Aha! secret?” “T have, Mr. Johnson, dential, of course.” “And I thought I concealed it. ticle you've just mentioned— Then you've discovered my This is confi- thought nobody knew how cultured I w “Penalty of true greatness.” “Penalty of nothing. I may have been horn great, but I'm a shrinking violet, and I thought—" “You thought that with your flamboyant exterior, with your rough Al Jolson 1 ner, you could conceal the hidden of culture and true modesty which shines forth so brightly, although you may not know it. Ah! That we could know selves! I speak as a friend, That's wh ruined you.” “Then all hope is lost?” “Not so, not so! You may never be president, but be consoled with that henceforth it will be your mi go about uplifting Mayor Hylan and put- ting the fear of God into the stubborn hearts of traction magnates. Tha m life work. Good morning, Mister Hiram.” “Guten Morgen, Lire.” ATHER (repr § Don't do that aga like it, Saare Daventer: ing small dana! », Dorothy, T don't But, Daddy, yon do lots of things I don’t like. comicbooks.com