Life, 1899-10-19 · page 7 of 20
Life — October 19, 1899 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Criminal Operation" - Life Magazine Page 307 This page satirizes a debate about punching someone over a dollar. The dialogue between characters named Witherby and Mrs. Witherby presents two positions: one argues that striking someone for a dollar is "little better than a common thief," while the other counters that possession of money one didn't earn justifies any response—even violence. The accompanying illustration depicts children in poverty, emphasizing the satirical point: the wealthy debate morality over small sums while poor children suffer real deprivation. The humor lies in the absurdity of Witherby's passionate defense of committing assault over currency, exposing class hypocrisy about property and violence. The page also includes a separate article about the Philippines, suggesting editorial content on colonialism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Criminal Operation. “ COME ONE,” said Witherby, “ gave you that punched dollar on pur- pose. You can’t, of course, recollect where you got it?” “Tam afraid not,” said Mrs. Witherby. ** | went to so many places this morning.” “That's just like a woman,” said her husband, with a slight show of impa- tience, ‘* Always ready to be imposed upon. Never thinking to examine their Still, I don't know as you I suppose it might change. ought to be blamed. “ETP EE have happened to any one. The fact is,” he contioued, raising his voice, ‘* who- ever deliberately palmed that punched dollar off on you is little better than a common thief. -That’s what he is! ‘There is no question in the world but what he gave you that dollar knowing that it was not worth its face value, Why, man couldn't have it in his possession five minutes without finding that out, And yet,” continued Witherby, his face suffused with passion, “he watched his chance, and, like acommon “WELL, CHILE, WHAT LESSON 148 BEEN MOS* IMPRESSED ON YER TER-DAY BY DE TEACHER?” “DAT I NEED & THICKER SEAT TER MY PANTS.” criminal, deliberately robbed the first one that came along.” “But, my dear.” expostulated Mra. Witherby, “the thing is done now, and it can’t be helped. We've got the dollar, even if it is punched, and we might as well make the best of it.” “That's just the point,” roared Witherby, purple with rage. ‘‘ We've got the dollar, and there's no telling how long it will take to get rid of it.” Tom Masson, HE following extract is from a letter we have just received from the Philippines: As ® classic and Himalayan lar, O—, or his Press censor, takes the palin. 1 didn't suppose such ® monumental fraud could be successfully worked #0 near the end of the nineteenth cen- tury. His “situation well tn hand" ts the stock Joke at the clubs. The exaggeration of our * vic- tories and minimizing our losses ts simply astonishing. Of course, the batives may surren- der at any time—for political reasons—but you may pretty safely calculate on the war's lasting from two fo five years, and costing not less thap ‘a quarter of @ million ‘men and endless treasure. ‘The truth in that Aguinaldo, with his six or eight thonsand untrained natives and five thousand Mausers, and ammunition that Dewey furntsbed, und with no commissary, bas practically harassed or held down Otts with hin thirty thousand troops For this expenditure of life and treasure. we have about forty miles railroad track and half a mile of territory on each side of few Iittle towns, and the city of Manila, which we will hold as long as we keep it heavily gar- risoned, and no longer. One hundred thousand men, at least, will be required to hold the coun try, even after peace Is declared, if we propose establishing any stable government. At least this ts the Judgment of our best tnformed aMicers.