Life, 1926-01-21 · page 14 of 36
Life — January 21, 1926 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes the 1920s economic boom by mocking the era's obsession with rising prices and profits. The illustration shows elaborately costumed figures labeled "The Gay Nineties," but the caption clarifies this is actually about **1926** — a joke about how enthusiastically people were repeating the phrase "higher prices and higher profits" as the motto for that year. The accompanying text presents a series of comedic exchanges where various professionals (farmers, railroad managers, grocers) all cite "higher prices" as their answer when asked for their year's motto, creating satirical commentary on widespread inflation and commercial self-interest during the Roaring Twenties economic bubble.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE “puDE"- “WwW Silas, what's the motto for 1926 “Higher prices for farm products.” drawled Silas in reply And the assembled farmers in Silas’ barn cheers. shook the rafters with their see “Well, gentlemen, what's the motto for 1926?” asked the railroad traffic manager of his associates. “Higher freight quick reply. The applause was deafening. eee rates!” came the “Well, men, what's the motto THE SURE-FIRE LAUGH-GETTER OF THE NINETIES. THE GAY NINETIES OF THE DAY, Bigger and Better sked the chairman of the mill- sociation, “Higher prices for our products!" A roar of val swept the room oe demanded the Sales-Manager at ference of his All-Boosters’ Club “More sales and higher prices!” they replied, amid thunderous applause. cee “Vell, and vot iss it, der 1926 motto, fallers?” queried the keeper of a group of his comrades, at the Turnverein. grocery-store- A GODSEND TO THE COMIC ARTISTS AND A WOW ON ANY STAGE, “Higher prices und they answered in chorus. “Hoch! Hoch!" profits, yet!” “Well, Mary, be this y: Consumer, wryly ‘ust try to get along!” she replied, a hopeful smile. Yeah, just try!" what's the slogan going asked the Ultimate John C. Emery. Enough Is Enough “DOES your mother do her own washing, son?” », sir; she works in a laundry.” comicbooks.com . Ty