Life, 1925-09-03 · page 9 of 36
Life — September 3, 1925 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon depicts railroad officials informing passengers that they must pay extra fees for amenities. The satire critiques how monopolistic railroad companies (operating under minimal regulation) exploit captive customers during the "Gay Nineties" era. The accompanying text mocks excessive legal penalties for minor infractions while corporations face no consequences. "Fear the Law" lists absurd punishments: thirty days for murder by shooting, but life imprisonment for ignoring stop signals or five years merely for taking a drink. The satire's point: ordinary citizens face harsh laws while wealthy industries exploit people through unjust charges with impunity. The poems above reinforce this class critique, celebrating the poor while lamenting preferential treatment of the wealthy. This reflects Progressive Era anxieties about corporate power and legal inequality in unregulated capitalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE GAY NINETIES THE PORTER OF THE BUFFET CAR ON THE LIMITED HAS JUST INFORMED TWO CONVIVIAL PASSENGERS THAT THEY AKE TRAVELING THROUGH A “DRY” STATE AND HE WILL NOT FIFTY-THREE MINUTES. THE REMARKS OF THE TWO C. NGS HAVE COME TO A PRETTY PASS WHEN ANY THIS ENLIGHTENED COUNTRY WHAT HE From the Manner House, Forest of Arlen Some people love the sons of toil, The workers of the world, the masses. From all such persons I recoil, For I prefer the upper classes. Some praise the virtues of the poor, And even go to Europe steerage. Well, they can have the herd, I’m sure; Give me the dear, decadent peerage. Lois Whitcomb. ALES MANAGER: Did you get the order? SatesMAN: No; but I saw his fountain pen! ALLOWED TO SERVE ANY MORE HARD DRINKS FOR , WHEN EXPURGATED, ARE TO THE EFFECT THAT BLANKETY BLANK LAW CAN DICTATE TO A FREE CITIZEN OF CAN OR CANNOT DRINK—ETC., ETC, Fear the Law ‘OR murder by shooting For murder with axc.. For murder by poison Thirty days’ imprisonment. - Stern reprimand. Defendant declared insane and released. For burglary «Seizure of stolen goods. For auto theft For parking over one hour.. For going thirty-five miles an Car confiscated. ife imprisonment. Apology to owner demanded. Death by hanging. hour «. For ignoring Stop signals For believing in Evolution... Five thousand dollars fine. For taking a drink. . Five years. LM.C. comicbooks.com