Life, 1903-12-03 · page 15 of 22
Life — December 3, 1903 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical cartoon and fable from *Life* magazine uses an allegorical story to comment on American imperialism and the Panama Canal construction. **The figures represent:** - The "Man" = the United States - The "Big Boy" = Colombia (which owned Panama) - The "Little Boy" = Panama - The "Apples" = the canal rights **The satire:** The U.S. is portrayed as manipulative and self-serving. It exploits Panama's desire for independence from Colombia by encouraging separation, then seizes control of the canal project for itself—eating "all the Apples" while claiming moral superiority (preventing boys from fighting). The moral's conclusion sardonically asserts U.S. will shall construct the canal, acknowledging American imperial ambitions. **Historical context:** This likely references the 1903 Panama Canal negotiations, when the U.S. supported Panamanian independence from Colombia to gain canal construction rights—a controversial intervention that *Life* critiques through this fable as opportunistic and duplicitous.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A MENTING OF THY SOCIETY POR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO MES IN THE FUTURE STRANDED ON A DESEKTED ASTEROID, A Latter-Day Fable. MAN was once walking along the Highway, when he met a Big Boy and a Little Boy carrying a Basket of fine Apples between them. The Man wanted the Apples very badly, and he offered the Big Boy Ten Dollars for them. But the Big Boy thought the Apples were worth more than Ten Dollars, and he refused to sell, though the Little Boy begged him to. As the Big Boy and the Little Boy started to walk on, the Man tipped a significant Wink to the Little Boy, who at once ‘‘caught on.’’ Snatching the Basket away from the Big Boy, he ran back with it to the Man and exchanged it for the Ten Dollars. When the Big Boy ran up to inflict Punishment on the Little Boy, the Man said he could not bear to see little Boys fight, so he held the Big Boy off while he ate up all the Apples himself. MORAL. This Fable teaches us that the Panama Canal must and SHALL BE constructed by U. S.! WILL. comicbooks.com