Life, 1903-09-10 · page 13 of 20
Life — September 10, 1903 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical pieces mocking the era's obsession with money and status: **"Symbolism"** ridicules a $200 silver inkwell in the Vice-President's room as representing the "brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of Mammon"—sarcastically suggesting that wealth, not morality, unites the nation (likely post-Civil War reconciliation). **"The Order of Precedence"** jokes that Andrew Carnegie's name was mistakenly placed *before* the Lord's in library dedications—a sharp jab at how industrialists like Carnegie had become more important culturally than religious figures. **"Rich Men's Sons"** features a dialogue where a wealthy man says he's saving money not for an automobile, but "to pay for the people I run over"—dark humor about wealthy industrialists' indifference to those harmed by their businesses. **"Milton Up to Date"** updates Milton's *Paradise Lost*, replacing theological falls with modern urban humor (Satan falls from an office building to the subway). The overall message: American society worships wealth over morality, spirituality, or human welfare.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
»LIPE= 253 Symbolism. TPHE two-hundred-dollar silver ink-well on the table is a work of art, symbolic reunited North and South.— Description the Vice-President’s room in the Capitol. An ink-well costing two hundred dollars is fairly animate with the spirit which is gathering not only sections of nations, but nations with nations, into a brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of Mammon, The Order of Precedence. these resolutions of thanks new library of ours done all over again. SECOND CITIZEN : What's the matter? Why, by a clerical error, the name of the Lord was placed before that of Andrew Carnegie.’ The Beyond. CL HE Gar, untrodden hills; the distant sal - Slow fleeting on to vastand unknown seas; The unkissed, perfect lips beneath a veil ; The unawakened soul; all myste With promise of the long-desired heart’s- ease Allure usto pursue,—pursue and fail. SIP YOU PULL ME @ny TIGHTER. SMALL Wave A PTT Bien, MAVAME! IT IS POR ZAT WICH Last TRYING.” Milton Up to Date. Rich Men’s Sons. WALL PAPER. ROFESSOR: How far did Satan fall? (\V TELE : If you've saved up enough for prstox srrctatiy Briaut Scuoran : From the top an automobile, why don't you get it? MESHED row cuss of an office building to the bottom Bospir: Not yet. I’m saving up enough — veavoes queers wnose nes of the subway. to pay for the people I run over. TUMN 18 NOT DESIRED. comicbooks.com