FOOL KILLER PART SEVENTY-NINE: NOVEMBER 1915

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the many facets of Fool Killer lore. FOR PART ONE, INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT IN THE 1850s, CLICK HERE.

PART 79 – As always, it’s fascinating to read the over 100-year-old opinions of James Larkin Pearson (and by extension his Fool Killer), including the opinions that one doesn’t agree with. Here are some of the Fool Killer’s targets in November 1915.

*** Christians who called for America to enter the World War on the side of the Allied Powers, depicting them as pious hypocrites who wanted to go to war for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful.

*** President Woodrow Wilson, depicting him as neglecting all national problems while paying far more attention to his romance with Edith Bolling Galt, like himself widowed. The two would marry in December 1915.

*** Tycoon – or plutocrat as Pearson and his Fool Killer called the wealthy – John D. Rockefeller II, who assumed the reins of his father’s corporate empire. “Johndee the 2nd” was depicted using phony charm in contrast to the open contempt that his father had shown to the working class. They especially targeted John II’s P.R. stunt of visiting miners for some photo opportunities.

*** Imperial Japan for intimidating and browbeating China.

*** People who opposed voting rights for women.

*** The Anglo-French Committee, who came to America wanting a Half-Million-Dollar loan to keep fighting the war. 

*** Democrats, for claiming they had brought America prosperity even though they had brought nothing but debt.

*** Pearson and his version of the Fool Killer were strongly against drinking alcohol (earlier versions drank) so he praised South Carolina for becoming another state that prohibited alcohol. Nationwide Prohibition had not happened yet.

*** Former President Theodore Roosevelt for continually calling for U.S. entry in the World War with himself as one of the field commanders. Pearson and his Fool Killer – like the original Puck magazine back then – had been strong Roosevelt supporters until he became pro-war. They sarcastically said he should start a War Party like he had started the Progressive or “Bull Moose” Party for his Third Party presidential candidacy in 1912. 

*** People who still voted for the Democrat and Republican Parties, saying such people should emulate poet James Whitcomb Riley and not vote at all.

*** Reverend John Wesley Hill, opponent of Socialism, (Pearson was both a Christian AND a Socialist), for his recent scandal of having an affair with a woman who did not know he was married. That woman was now suing him for $100,000 for breach of promise.

*** Elected Democrats and Republicans, who put their political party’s vested interests above the interests of the people as a whole.

*** Mexico’s latest President – Venustiano Carranza – whom they accused of letting American oil companies have access to Mexico’s oil fields in exchange for being recognized as the official government by Washington DC.

*** Speaker of the House Champ Clark, who like his fellow Democrats blamed the ongoing war for all their failures.

*** The company that made and marketed the original Teddy Bears which resembled former President Theodore Roosevelt for still churning them out. Obviously, a greater variety of Teddy Bears became available and they’re still around to this day. 

AMONG THE FOOL KILLER’S PITHIER REMARKS THIS TIME AROUND:

“Repartee is simply an insult with its dress-suit on.”

“Lead and gold are still circulating freely – Lead for the poor, and gold for the rich.”

“If everybody obeyed the law, what would the lawyers do?”