Life, 1901-04-18 · page 14 of 22
Life — April 18, 1901 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"The Intruder"** (top poem): This satirical verse contrasts great historical conquerors—Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, Genghis Khan, Napoleon—with "Uncle Sammy" (the United States). The poem mocks America for imitating imperial conquest despite its founding principle that men are "born free and equal." The poem suggests the U.S. has abandoned its democratic ideals by pursuing territorial expansion like traditional empires, treating conquered peoples as "meat" rather than respecting their rights. **The cartoons** (right side): Appear to illustrate absurdity—figures in coats, an explosion, ragged children—though specific references are unclear without more context. **Miss Agnes Repplier section**: A quote from an anti-vivisection (animal testing) society meeting praising dogs' loyalty while criticizing humans' mistreatment of animals. **Bottom jokes**: Mock speakers deceived about their audiences (delivering humorous lectures to schools for the blind, or to British-American organizations). The page's central theme criticizes American imperialism as contradicting democratic values.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE Z, they were men of might and mighty deeds— Thothmes, Alexander, Cesar, Charlemagne, Genghis, and Timur, and the Corsican— Still when one reads How they swept up the heights of glory Tt makes a palpitating story— But mortal gory! But you, but you, our own, our Uncle Sammy— Why, damme! What do you there, ’twixt rows of corpses clammy ? What queer, preposterous gait is this you're striking? ‘That crew — Lord save us! — is it to your liking? Come off! Come out, old man! You've missed your steer. (My! but you do look queer!) 4 You're not a part of that old tale. The sequel rs Is what you're in, where men “born free and equal” Are meat no more for conquest, but with rights “6 ERLa TOU) OLN CEAY, IW'A WELLER “WAwre\TO:WAyR'A Unvexed, strive on according to their lights. ipa ISS AGNES REPPLIER, in her remarks before a recent meeting of the American Anti-Vivisection Society, said : “I was struck some time ago, in reading a book of Champfleury’s, by a remark of Mme. de Custine, which he quotes with approval. ‘The dog,’ she says, ‘is condemned to love us.’ It isa pitiful fate, because we do not deserve his love, but he can not escape his bonds. Nature has planted in his heart a sentiment which survives all ill-treatment. Thank Heaven! I pin my affections on the free dnd independent cat, which has a long and sad record of suffering at our hands, but who scorns to give us any love or loyalty in return. The dog, we say, is our friend. He might pray, with the cynic, to be delivered from friendship.” 00 ON A REOULAR TEAR, “ROME IDIOTS GOT ME TO OFFER TO DELIVER MY STEREOPTICON LECTURE BEFORE THE WILLIAM GROPER SCHOOL, AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE A SCHOOL, POR THE BLIND.” “THATS NOTHING. A MEANER TRICK WAM PLAYED ON ME WEN I WAS INDUCED TO DELIVER MY HUMOROUS LECTURE TO THE ROUND TABLE CLUR, AND IT PROVED TO BE A RIITISH-AMERICAN ORGANIZATION.” NEW YORK's THE PLACE.” comicbooks.com