Life, 1901-07-25 · page 19 of 20
Life — July 25, 1901 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon satirizes working-class complaint about debt. A woman (likely a shopkeeper or landlady) stands stern-faced before a smaller figure, refusing credit. The dialogue—rendered in working-class dialect—captures the debtor's frustration: he's told he "can't 'ave none" because there's "too much on the slate" (too much owed), and he threatens to take his business elsewhere. The satire targets the tension between merchants extending credit and customers accumulating unpayable debts. The title "Commercial Enterprise" is ironic: the woman's refusal to extend further credit is presented as practical business necessity, yet the cartoon sympathizes with the customer's plight. For modern readers, "the slate" (a literal ledger of debts) represents the informal credit systems working people depended on before consumer finance existed. The humor lies in the powerlessness of both parties trapped in this system. The page is otherwise advertising—whiskey, biscuits, brandy, and California tourism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, 0 SAYS AS ‘OW YER CAN'T ‘AVE NONE, TNERE'S TOO MUCH ON THE SLATE ISTURKE? WRLL, YOU TRL MR BUNO As OW I'LL TARE MY CUSTOM AWAY AND < —Mronshine, YOUR TASTE IS CORRECT, if tested by ‘‘ Old Harper ''—the ideal whis- key by the verdict of all connoisseurs. If local dealers cannot supply it, write to the distillers, BERNHEIM BROS., Louisville, Ky. | Ramona and 1 Athena Sugar Waters Inviting Delicacies for Dainty Desserts. __Ramona, chocolates Athena, lemon flavoring, NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY. [FLAMMARION |2a Fe=4 OPERA ans FIELD GLASSES ~ cota medai,Paris.io00 Made under tne pstronege of the famous Astronomer. Faultless construction, great power. ‘Prom $5.00 up. See that the name “Flammarion” is on each giass Tra deres 109 52955) ew rer 123 weactar AGonuine Old Brandy made from Wine.” — Medical Press (London), Aug, 1899° MARTELL'S THREE STAR BRANDY AT ALL BARS AND RESTAURANTS. appreciated by connoisseurs for its Qelicate lavor (Norank smell nortaste, 80 frequent in some brands of Olive Oil) Suaranteed ure Oil of Olives only S. RAE & CO. Exe. 1936 LEGHORN, ITALY Greatest Playground on Earth EVER Y PURSE sorte SPECIAL RATES Have been established by the SOUTHERN | PACIFIC between all parte of CALIFORNIA] and its great number of famous resorts by which tne expense of a trip is reduced to i a very low and reasonable rate. For example: FROM ALL PARTS OF CALIFORNIA 1 TO THE RESORTS IN THE SHASTA REGION. LAKE TAHOE AND SUR- ROUNDINGS, YOSEMITE. THE BIG J TREES, THE KINGS RIVER COUNTRY, FROM SAN JOAQUIN AND SACRAMENTO VALLEY POINTS TO THE MONTEREY BAY COAST. | FROM 4 THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, ARI- 20 Ww THE SEASHORE, in. SOUTHERN GALIFORNIA-AND, THE. RESORTS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. Por full information, inquire of the SOUTHERN PACIFIC CO. | E. HAWLEY,A.C.T.M. L. MH. NUTTING, E.P. A. 349 Broadway or 1 Battery Pl. (Washington Bidg.) comicbooks.com