Life, 1924-10-16 · page 17 of 36
Life — October 16, 1924 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page discusses Calvin Coolidge's political qualities and includes a cartoon titled "Carry Yer Bag, Boss?" The cartoon depicts a large man (likely representing a political figure or the wealthy) surrounded by smaller figures attempting to carry his bag or serve him. The satire appears to mock servility and political deference—suggesting people are eager to do favors for those in power or with money. The text praises Coolidge's confidence that he won't dramatically change the country if elected, emphasizing his conservative approach. It also discusses the Milbank Fund's proposal to help elderly New Yorkers, raising questions about whether extending life through institutions actually improves quality of life. The overall page combines political commentary on Coolidge with social critique about wealth, power, and aging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
what he finds to say and do will help to take him out of the shadow of a famous figure and get him estimated for what he really is. NUMBER of excellent qualities commend Mr. Coolidge to the voters, but the thing that enlists for him the most support is the confidence that if elected he will not try to improve the people of this country very much. In that thought about him a great many minds repose with soft sighs of relief. On the 25th of Sep- tember Mr. Coolidge dis- coursed to a large and respectable audience in Philadelphia. It was the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the first meeting of the Continen- tal Congress in 1774. There never was a bet- ter man than he to tell people not to be too fresh about changing everything. He told them that night to hang on to the Constitution as a bar- rier against despotism; not to allow Federal own- ership of railroads and public utilities; to retain the protection of the courts; to let people take care of themselves, and not be so eager for Gov- ernment intervention, In all these counsels Mr. Coolidge spoke with marked sincerity and from a heart true to Ver- mont. HEY tell us that the duration of life has increased twenty years in the last century and is likely to be increased an- other twenty years in the century to come. So Dr. Fisk said the other day at Atlantic City, and the - LIFE - papers had it about the same time that the Milbank Fund proposes to spend two million dollars to make the East Side residents of New York between l4th and 64th Streets live about that much longer than they do. Very well. But if people are to live longer there can not be so many of them. It is a common habit in bar- barous tribes to knock the old people on the head as soon as they cease to be self-supporting. The younger people can not be bothered with them, prob- ably can not afford to, for barbarous tribes are not very rich. The Milbank 15 Fund seems to be taking a considerable responsibility. What gains does it see if it should achieve its end? Will the older people be wiser? Will the aver- age wisdom of life be increased? Will goodness be increased? Or is the Fund planning for a line of institutions in which the indigent aged can be shel- tered and fed? One may say with due respect to the doctors and sanitarians that unless longer life means better life it will not profit the world to make it abound any more than it does. The big job is to better it. E. S. Martin, “CARRY YER BAG, BOSS?” comicbooks.com