Life, 1899-11-09 · page 14 of 20
Life — November 9, 1899 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes U.S. "benevolent assimilation" policy in the Philippines following the Spanish-American War. The dialogue format critiques the hypocrisy of American colonial administration. The text questions why the U.S. refuses to permit Filipino leader Aguinaldo polygamy or slavery as "morally wrong," yet *does* permit—and financially supports—the Sultan of Sulu to maintain twelve wives and slaves. The contradiction exposes how America applied selective moral standards based on political convenience rather than principle. The satirist (Joseph Dana Miller) argues that this departure from "minding one's own business" violates both morality and economic logic, causing global poverty. The term "benevolent assimilation" is mocked as a euphemism masking imperial control disguised as civilization-spreading. The accompanying illustration (captioned "From Concord to Lexington") likely reinforces the irony: America's Revolutionary origins championed independence, yet the nation now denies it to colonized peoples.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
374 On the Back of Her Picture. AVE this side bare — L t cull it rich In formand lineand hue: No other aplendors Need be here, ‘Than those that wander through, Rott C. Gitmore, Class in Im- perialism. UESTION; What Is the whole doty of men and nattons ? Answen: To mind thelrown business. “Have men and nations ever done thtst™ © There ts not an Instance tn recorded history.”* ean example of & not minding their “The Americans In the Philippines. “Tut they say the Fill: Pinos are not capable of self governgnent.”* “That Is (heir business," “Is Spain a wise nation?* “The wisest in the wortd.? “Is Aguinaldo a polyga- mist “No; we would not per- mit bim to be, even should he acknowledge his allegt- ance to the United States," “ Would we permit him to hold slaves?" “No; slavery ts legally and morally wrong." “Is the Sultan of Sulu a polygamist 7”? “Ile 1s; and a@ slave- holder.” * Do we permit that?” “Oh, yes; and we give bim six thousand dollars a Year to support his twelve wives.” “ Explatn to the class this contradiction.” “It cannot be explained. It can only be sald that tn the practical detatisof mind- / yy j3 Ing other people's business all the canons of morality, c together with allthe max. Cj. ims of political economy, are reversed.” “Is the departare from. the strict habits of minding Jour own business expen- iv ; be ; It may be raid that nine-tenths of the poverty of the world are due to this cause.” HISTORICAL BITS. “ What Is this policy sometimes called ?** 1X. “ Benevolent asstmtlation.”* ~ Joseph Dana Milter. FROM CONCORD TO LEXINGTON, comicbooks.com