Life, 1901-06-27 · page 9 of 21
Life — June 27, 1901 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Substance and the Shadow" This satirical cartoon depicts **Death** (skeleton in robes) standing over fallen bodies, with a large shadow looming behind—representing the abstract consequences of social policies. The accompanying text discusses **temperance reform movements**, specifically the Women's Christian Temperance Union's advocacy against alcohol consumption. The satire critiques reformers who impose strict moral standards yet fail to address deeper societal problems. A smaller cartoon below titled "Bought Medicine Himself" mocks someone who purchased dubious patent medicine, with characters discussing whether it's a "shame." Together, these images satirize **late 19th-century reformers** who focused on surface-level moral crusades (drinking, medicine) while ignoring substantive causes of poverty and suffering—the "shadow" being the real, unseen societal harms they overlook.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE SUMSTANCE AND THE SUADOW. compel even his immediate family to share his social experiments. That is the way it is in the family of Tolstoi. He lives the ideal life, and goes barefoot, and cobbles shoes for recreation, but his wife and most of his children respect conventional customs, and live a life modified, but not stunted by his ideals. A great and common defect about ordinary reformers is that they are not 547 content to let their light so shine, but insist that every one whom they can control shall emulate their good works. Says the Women's Christian Temperance Union to the Army, “ We think it’s wicked to drink beer, and you shan’t have any.” Says Mrs. Carrie Nation to Apollo Belvidere, “It is an outrage that you have no trou- serson, Let me smash you!" Mr, Sheldon’s way is better. He goes in for precept, and, maybe, example, but not for con- straint. If the Women’s Chris- tian Temperance Union followed his example it might still dis- tribute tracts to the Army, but it would not legis- late away the canteen, and Mrs, Nation, acting Shel- don-wise, would be content to say to Apollo Belvidere, ‘Wear trousers, like BOUGHT MEDICINE HIMSELF. “UWE JUST BEEN DRUGGED AND ROBBED,” SAID nee “1 THINK IT Is A same! TUE OFFICERJUST YAW! WAS THE DRUGGIST'S NAME ND SAID, WHAT. comicbooks.com