Life, 1925-11-26 · page 40 of 44
Life — November 26, 1925 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes how newspapers abandon principles upon a politician's death. The left column shows an unsigned editorial attacking "Bartholomew Squibbs," candidate for Superintendent of Street Crossings and Curbstones in the fictional town of Flatville. It uses hyperbolic language—calling him a "snake in the grass" and "cancer"—to denounce his administration's failures with street conditions. The right column reveals the joke: the same newspaper's actual editorial, published after Squibbs suddenly died, reverses course entirely, now praising him as "respected and beloved." The satire mocks how publications conveniently abandon critical scrutiny of public figures once they're deceased, replacing honest critique with sanitized eulogies. It's commentary on journalistic cowardice and hypocrisy—the unwillingness to maintain editorial positions when social convention demands respectful silence about the dead.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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MAO 2 fine, full cut. blue-white Diamond | of exceptional bri! | y 18 mounted In an exqui- altely, plerced ail platinum ring @ the latest octagon top design Beg ereatly enhancing the beauty of the gem. Diamond Mounted Was Waren == $42.50 Four full cut Blue-White Diamonds of ex- oi L. timekeeper, Avery unuualvaiuetor $42.90) + CLIP COUPON-FILL IN AND MAIL NOW --~ Or Mail Postal Card or Letter Request Wun Your Name and Address to JASON WEILER & SONS 371 Washington St., Boston, Mass, AMfo. Wholesale and Retail Jewelers since 1870 Diamond Importers since 1876 Foreign Agencies: Amsterdam, London and Paris Please send the FREE $0th Anniversary Catalog A Prominent Citizen Suddenly Dies (The Editorial That Wes to Appear) Voters of Flatville, awake! The welfare of Flatville—nay, the State—aye, even the Nation—stands menaced to-day by an unscrupulous demagogue, a self-seeker who, we do not hesitate to assert without fear of successful contradiction, would gladly sacrifice upon the altar of his private political aspirations the future of his country ! This man, this snake in the grass, this peril to humanity is, as all thinking citizens must realize, none other than BartHotomew Sguisss, now running as candidate for re-election to the po- sition of Superintendent of Street Crossings and Curbstones! Should the human flotsam and jet- sam which course through the gutters of even so model a community as Flat- ville succeed, by the conscienceless em- ployment of repeaters, thugs and gang- sters, in foisting such a creature as Squisss upon the intelligent and en- lightened citizenry of Flatville, then liberty and freedom of thought and ac- tion will indeed have vanished from this earth! There is no limit to Squipss’s base aspirations for personal aggrandize- ment. Under his administration, the congestion at street crossings has in- creased shockingly, while the condition of the curbstone at Elm and Cedar Streets is nothing less than a disgrace! Visitors from Hilldale, Valleyburg and Summit, sunk though those cities may be in political corruption, point to it with derision! Squisss and his ilk must go! Shall this cancer in the form of a man shame the fair name of Flatville? NEVER! The Trumpet-Clarion calls upon the voters to do their duty. PUT PLUNKETT IN! PUT SQUIBBS OUT! (The Editorial That Did Appear) It was with a profound shock and sense of personal loss that the Trumpet- Clarion learned to-day of the sudden death of Mr. Bartuotomew Sguises, respected and beloved Superintendent of Street Crossings and Curbstones. In the public eye throughout almost all of his long career, Mr. Squisss gave incessantly and continuously of his time and service to the people of Flatville. That he was due to receive his reward seemed certain by the ap- parent determination of his fellow citizens to re-elect him to the high office which he had once administered and to which he appeared destined by fate. BartHotomew Squisss attained the superintendency when the street cross- ings of Flatville were in such a condi- tion as to be almost a reproach. Un- JO REG US PATOFE ‘The Shoe thats Different™ IONG the many ailments whicn incorrect shoes bring about isa new one, and itis quite prevalen te ‘auto foot.” If you are a suferer, or f you wou heing one, wear FootJoy shoes, When properly Ste Sind that “auto foot"'as well as other troubles wil bs ai Foot-Joy Shoes are the result of over so years’ study i our manufacturing of shoes. There is nothing experimental their con@ruction. 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