Life, 1887-11-17 · page 4 of 16
Life — November 17, 1887 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "FORCE OF HABIT" Cartoon Analysis This cartoon depicts two figures in what appears to be a Native American confrontation, likely satirizing American frontier violence or colonial relations. The caption "FORCE OF HABIT" and subtitle "New Yorker: No rum, please" suggests commentary on drinking culture and stubborn behavioral patterns. The accompanying articles discuss anarchists, Governor Oglesby's pardon decisions, and contemporary political controversies. Without clearer identification of the specific historical figures or incident being referenced, the cartoon's precise political target remains unclear—though it appears to mock ingrained social behaviors or colonial attitudes toward Native Americans during a period when such imagery was considered acceptable satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THANKSGIVING APPROACHETH. HE outlook for the obese turkey About this time's exceeding murky, And e’en the berry of the cran Begins to look quite pale and wan. WESTERN contemporary objects because a portrait in a recent number of the Century, labeled E. B. Washburne, is not a portrait of E. B. at all, but of his brother. Why object ?_ Does our esteemed contemporary think that the Century is going to destroy the unities of the Life of Lincoln by giving anything in its proper name? Not much, The main title of the work has shown us what we may expect in this direction, and even the most obtuse of our Western friends should know better than to complain, at this late date, of such innovations. . . . V E are glad the campaign is over. It has been about as complete a success in the line of blackguardism as we remember ever to have seen. Pulitzer has done his best to ruin Dana, and Dana's efforts to besmirch Pulitzer have been edifying toa degree. Neither has succeeded in disgracing the other to the extent to which Pulitzer has dis- graced Pulitzer and Dana has disgraced Dana—a remark which we cheerfully offer these gentlemen, to speak figura- tively, with the request that they cut it out and paste it in their hats. FORCE OF HABIT. New Yorker: No Bay Rum, PLEASE. AY GOULD has landed in England, but Queen Victoria still retains a controlling interest in the throne. ERTAINLY, Governor Oglesby should have pardoned the Anarchists; poor ill-used fellows! They had done nothing but incite peaceably disposed people to riot; they were not responsible for the death of more than five or six policemen ; only three courts had decided that they richly deserved hanging; they were nothing but poor ignorant enemies of law and order, and after all, perhaps they regard- ed the throwing of those bombs in the light of a good joke. Let us not hang men in this country for joking. That would be really too bad! . . . A DITTY. OW the tears do slowly trickle Down the cheeks of friends to Nicoll While in hymns of vict’ry bellows The Boodle Brave who worked for Fellows. . . . M* IGNATIUS DONNELLY is said to be able to prove, by means of his cipher and four hundred and thirteen assumptions, that Lord Bacon was the man who struck Billy Patterson. . . . UR esteemed contemporary, the Boston 7ranscrift, is quite severe on LIFE for its recent cut representing the Chicago Anarchists dangling at the end of the ropes which we sincerely trust will have done their work before this issue greets the public eye. We regret that we have offended the Transcript, which is one of the most welcome of our exchanges; but when its Editor prints us as brutal because we choose to jest on the subject of these men who are not, or were not, even honest Anarchists, we feel disposed to protest. Would the 7ran- script have moralized and characterized us as brutal if Lire had jested on the approaching destruction of seven rattle- snakes? We believe not, and, with our apologies to the rattlesnake for saying so, we venture the assertion that it does not require a very large stretch of the imagination to find a parallel between the two cases. The Transcript's heart is in the right place, but it points in the wrong direction. A SCARCITY OF TYPES. NGLISH TOURIST: You—aw—New Yorkers are too cosmopolitan, you know. Now, couldn't you— aw—introduce me to a typical American? Dosains: I'm afraid that’s a pretty heavy contract, just now, Jay Gould, Sullivan, Buffalo Bill and Blaine are all on the other side of the water. comicbooks.com