Life — December 8, 1898 — page 15: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

**"A Misleading Comparison"** critiques Mayor Hoos of Jersey City for claiming "God made the rose to give off its perfume." The text argues this is wickedly untrue—roses don't naturally perfume Sundays or weekdays equally, contradicting the mayor's apparent argument for opening theaters on the Sabbath. **The Capitol Building illustration** (captioned "An Annual Event of Some Importance") depicts crowds gathered, likely referencing a presidential inaugural ceremony or Congress in session—a standard civic event. **"Next?"** and **"He Was"** appear to be separate poem and joke features typical of Life's satirical format. The page primarily targets the mayor's flawed logic in a religious/moral debate about Sunday entertainment—a significant social controversy of the era.