Life, 1888-01-19 · page 2 of 16
Life — January 19, 1888 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, January 19, 1888 The ornamental header cartoon depicts a chaotic scene with what appears to be a large figure or monument being toppled or destroyed, with classical buildings and landscapes in the background. The caption reads "While there's Life there's Hope." The imagery likely satirizes the "green stamp" controversy mentioned in the text—a political battle over postage stamp design involving the Post-office Department and competing newspapers (the *Sun* and *Tribune*). The toppling structure may represent institutional disruption caused by this bureaucratic dispute. The cartoon's apocalyptic tone reflects the text's observation that this seemingly minor administrative issue has become unexpectedly contentious, with various factions fighting over symbolic control and policy direction—hence the somewhat overwrought visual metaphor of institutional collapse.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOL. XI. JANUARY 19, 1888. No. 264. 28 West TWENTY-rHIRD STREET, NEw York. Published every Thursday, $5.00 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents, Back numbers can be had by applying to this office. Vol. I., $1.50 per number; Vol. II., 25 cents per number ; Vols. III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIIL., IX. and X. at regular rates. Rejected contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. Subscribers wishing address changed will greatly facilitate matters by sending old address as well as new. HE war on the green stamp rages as furiously as if Pulitzer had moved on and was no longer an issue. Representative Bliss, of the fifth district of New York, has even introduced a resolution into the House, expressing the desire of that branch of the legislature that the Post-office Department should revert to the old brick-red. The es- teemed Swz still leads the fight, and the other hardy journals begin to take sides. The issue is not yet directly political, for Lire observes that the 77zéune is with the Sun against the green dye, while the 7?mes insidiously prints communi- cations applauding green as a handsome color, and ridiculing the allegations of its poisonous properties. The stamp still continues to carry a letter with reasonable certainty, and the general public wishes energy and health to all the combat- ants. One excellent feature of this spirited engagement is that no one can get hurt. All battles will partake of this characteristic when the millennium comes around again. * * * | are cordial sympathies are with the Crown Prince of Germany in the unsettled condition of his throat. Since the illness of General Grant the people of this country have known all about throats, and grieve with Germany when the Prince is announced to have cancer, and rejoice with the Crown Princess when the doctors decide that he hasn't. As we go to press his highness’s difficulty is’ pro- nounced “chronic laryngitis,” which is understood to mean “nothing fatal the matter.” According to the memory of this journal, throat troubles do not become dangerous until the New York Herald has published a chart of the patient's larynx, epiglottis and contingent organs. This has not hap- pened yet to the Crown Prince. * * * IFE’S good wishes are in being for the success of the Players’ Club, It is understood that the in- stitution is to be endowed. We trust it will, and that those disagreeable concomitants of other clubs known as “dues” may never be known in this one. And if these good wishes come true, LIFE wants—oh, so much!—to belong. Meanwhile the best club in these parts—if we are rightly informed—continues to be the Sailors’ Snug Harbor on Staten Island. There are no dues there, they say, and not too many veterans. The members do not cause each other, or the governors, to be indicted for ungentlemanly behavior, nor, when expelled, do they make noisy protests, for they never are expelled. They toil not, neither do they spin aught but maritime yarns. They seem to have solved most of the problems of existence which are worth fretting over. Such a club we wish that of the Players may be, only, gentlemen, have it handy to Union Square, and make your definition of “players” Shakespearian enough to be comfort- ably comprehensive. But how about the actresses, will the new club do any- thing for them ? * * * -s and paper to a vast amount and no contemptible mass of grey-matter continues to be daily consumed in discussing the amount of book learning it is proper to ad- minister to girls. It is a worthy topic, and vociferations about it make as good copy as most other discussions, but it is amusing to notice the propensity of most writers who deal with the subject to generalize, as though girls were re- ceptacles which would hold so much learning, which may or may not be emptied into them according as a sound policy dictates. When you come down from the general to the particular, LIFE suspects that few parents have much difficulty in decid- ing how much their daughter shall learn. There are prac- tical considerations that govern these matters: health, the capacity of the parent to pay for schooling, and, more than anything, the appetite of the girl for learning. The idea that girls are not to learn too much is funny. It is as if the horsemen discussed whether mares should be allowed to trot faster than 2.20. If the mare cam trot in 2.15, and gets a chance to show her speed, let her out by all means. There is no special wisdom in cramping her. But, if the filly belongs in the three minute class, don’t try to crowd her. Three minute mares are mighty convenient to have, and it is folly, and wicked besides, to break them down by urging them too far. Give the young women room according to their strength and speed. That is as near to a general rule as you can come. comicbooks.com