Life, 1883-04-19 · page 7 of 16
Life — April 19, 1883 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Cartoon Analysis The main illustration depicts two men in what appears to be a confrontational dialogue, labeled "NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT" (Latin: "No one provokes me with impunity"). The cartoon satirizes a dispute between a German character (identified by dialect) and an American character regarding telephone/telegraph communication and repair services. The accompanying dialogue mocks incomprehensible German speech patterns and stereotypes Americans as "impertinent devils." The satire targets both immigrant German-Americans and American attitudes toward them, likely reflecting early 20th-century tensions. The piece also critiques a proposed aqueduct project involving the Aldermen board, suggesting political incompetence in municipal infrastructure planning. The overall tone is comedic ethnic satire typical of the era's humor magazine style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NO. HE Rev. E. E. Hale has expressed a desire to see an abridgment of the Bible “for the benefit of those who will not read the book through from Genesis to Revelation.” This is not a good scheme. The Bible in its present form is peculiar- ly adapted to a community having a wide range of taste. No abridgment would be acceptable to all its readers. There are those who love to assimilate the gospels and be good; aad others who must tangle them- selves with the epistles and be uncomforta- ble. Some will have the Apocalypse or nothing; some want to sit on the fence and read in Ecclesiastes about the vanity of getting things, and others are happiest with the Canticles, at Mt. Desert. So, too, Jeremiah and the comminatory Psalms have their admirers, and we have known men who, from sheer cussedness would learn by heart pages of Hebrew names. We believe that the vast majority of those who will not read the Book through prefer to pasture in it according to their individ- ual tastes. Abridgments and expurgated editions are bad enough in the case of profane writings like the Arabian Nights. Let our Unitarian friends go and abridge their Emerson if they want to, or even the denunciations of their old adversary, Jo. Cooke, but not the Bible. UncLe Sam ought to get one of Lady Florence Dixie’s corsets for his new mon- itor. A ConFLicT between Science and Relig- ion —a base-ball match between the Troy Polytechnic and Holy Cross College. * THE NEW AQUEDUCT. INFORMAL DISCUSSION IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN. LDERMAN O'SHAUGHNESSY: They say there's a dale o’ money in this akweduk. ALDERMAN O'GRADY : Phwat is an akweduk, anyhow ? AN ALDERMAN O'RourKE: I didn’t know ye were that ignorant. Sure it’s to bring wather to the city. ALDERMAN FLYNN : Is it annything like buckets mebbe ? ALDERMAN Casey : Faith ! It’s like a long beer tunnel, only runni undther the counthry for miles or more, ALDERMAN O'FLANNIGAN: Phwat do they want wid more wather? Phwy don’t they dhraw phwat they want out o’ the hydrant ? 2 ALDERMAN O'BRIEN: To dhrink, ye fool ! ALDERMAN RAFFERTY: Begorra! ‘Twill ruin our saloons, ALDERMAN Rooney: Arrah! It isn’t to drink they want it; it's to wash wid. Crorus: Phwat's that? ALDERMAN FINNEGA! they'll do wid it. NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT. Herr Bretsel (who has just had a telephone put up, calls for the Repairer next day) :, LOOK-A-HERE, MY VRENT, TIDN’T YOU DOLE ME DOT DELLERVONE SHBEAK CRERMAN UNT GONVERSE IN CHERMAN ? Repairer: YES, sir. e Herr B.: Ve tu! py CHIMINETTY, I DALK CHERMAN TO DOT DELLERVONE YESDERTAY, MIT BOLIDENESS, UNT PY UNT PY IT SAY, “HELLO, PHAWT THE DIVIL AIR YE JABBERIN ? COME OFF, YE OULD Dutcuy!"” I TOND'T ALLOW NO DELLERVONE TO SASS ME DOT VAY. DONNERHIMMEL! DAKE ID Avay!” : Annyhow, they say there’s a power 0° boodle in the buildin av it, so yous necdn’t bother about what ALDERMAN KELLEY: Thrue for you! These Amerikins is ixpinsive divils. - ALDERMAN O'TOOLE: Indade they are, an’ luk at the chake of tem. Some of ‘em sez they ought to have our places on the Board of Aldhermin. Corus: Phwat!! ALDERMAN O'DoNOHUE: Tare an’ ouns! Amerikins among uz! Phwat right have they here? Don’t we let ‘em vote an’ pay taxes? They'll be takin’ the bread out of our mouths next ! ALDERMAN Murpuy: Have no fear. They must vote the way the bosses say or not at all, an’ sure the bosses don’t want any wather drinkin’ Yankees as aldhermin. Av they won't dhrink at our bars, bedad, they must pay roundly for the next wather they'll get. . Crorus: Thrue for you! Whose trate is it? (Exeunt.) comicbooks.com