Life, 1903-06-18 · page 16 of 24
Life — June 18, 1903 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a mythical sea serpent reduced to performing tricks in water for tourists—a visual metaphor for something once grand now commercialized and diminished. The caption notes this is "Americanized," suggesting American commercial culture strips dignity from traditions. Below are three satirical pieces: **"Prosperity"** mocks Wall Street anxiety: oil dividends dropped slightly, and stock exchanges delayed payments by minutes—trivial disruptions presented as national crises, while Treasury officials insist all is well. **"His Choice"** features a consumer rejecting concentrated food, wanting something that "spreads all over my system"—likely satirizing American preference for quantity and dispersed effects over efficiency. **"Court Bulletin"** ridicules British royalty's exhausting schedule of social obligations (cricket, garden parties, theater, balls, costume changes), suggesting the monarchy's actual governance is secondary to ceremonial duties. The page satirizes both American commercialism and European aristocratic excess.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AMERICANIZED, The Sea Serpent; PRETTY MUCH OF & COME-DOWN POR A REIGNING SENSATION, BUT THEN A TELLOW MUST MAKE a LIVING, Prosperity. N EW YORK: Slandered Oil declared a dividend of 433/ to-day instead of theusual 44. The nineo’clock dividends of the United Skates Spiel Sorporation were not paid until ten minutes past nine. There is no disguising the feel- ing of unrest that prevails in Wall ‘ASHINGTON : Treasury officials $8 not to be disturbed by the news from New York. They point out that the gold reserve is now upwards of forty bil- jions, and insist that the interruption of the national prosperity is only momentary. His Choice. A SE NP: Yessir, I will guarantee that this is the most = concentrated food you ever ate. Cow: : But I don’t want that kind—I want the kind that spreads all over my system. Court Bulletin. Sreciat from London: ‘The King was severely taxed to-day by the pressing persistence of governmental business, Beginning at ten in the morning, he attended the Lords’ cricket matches, and was then seen shortly after at a luncheon given by his Bobs, the Duke of Winter- view. Immediately after, the Queen’s Garden Party claimed his attention, and was followed by a hurried in- spection of the race-course. Later, his Majesty reviewed the corps of American Beauties—and then repaired to the tenth annual dinner of the Dubs of the Fast Order. We hardly need mention that the usual theatre duties of the evening were faithfully performed by our Sovereign, and the labors of the day culminated in the attendance upon a grand ball given by the Duchess of Brazenbox. In view of the fact that these events necessitated eight distinct changes of apparel, we are to be congratulated on the possession of one who is thus able to discharge the state duties of our great nation in so worthy and faithful a manuer, MEX were made before mirrors. ~ before mirrors. Women are still made comicbooks.com