Life, 1890-05-22 · page 17 of 18
Life — May 22, 1890 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon depicts a man being repeatedly attacked by an elephant across six panels. The title suggests *retaliation*—the elephant is getting even. The elephant likely represents the **Republican Party** (the GOP's official symbol), while the man represents a political opponent, probably a Democrat or critic of Republican policies. The cartoon satirizes how Republicans "strike back" against their political enemies through various means—each panel shows a new form of assault. Without knowing the specific date and context, the exact political dispute is unclear, but the joke relies on readers understanding contemporary political rivalries. The humor comes from the exaggerated violence and the elephant's persistent, escalating revenge—suggesting Republicans were particularly aggressive in their counterattacks during this era. The cartoonist is credited as "Jack Bennett" (visible at bottom).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
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