Life, 1904-01-07 · page 14 of 36
Life — January 7, 1904 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"A Panama Parable"** uses a cow-ownership dispute as an allegory for the Panama Canal controversy. A man owns a cow but cannot use it; a neighbor with babies needs milk and milks the cow without permission. When the owner objects, the neighbor forbids him access to his own land. The parable satirizes the U.S. position regarding Panama—suggesting America is taking control of resources (the canal) that belong to Panama, justifying intervention through practical necessity while denying the original owner his rights. **"Classical New Yorkers"** shows four historical figures (Ulysses, a Roman citizen, Helen, Timon) as modern stereotypes, likely satirizing New York society types or contemporary personalities masked in classical names—a common Life magazine technique. **"Labor-Saving"** jokes that eggs are so expensive (fifty cents per dozen), three hens pooling resources could afford to hire an office worker and typewriter—absurdist humor about inflation and labor costs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: A Panama Parable. DOSES ! A MAN had acow. It was the V Since did the world begin 4% only cow around, but the How many kinds of noses owner couldn't milk it. A neigh- Ro bor, who was running a baby Tiktuppy, Gr farm, had many young. babics To Holy Stes, who needed milk badly. He of- Usreisnulediyouriattas in, fered to pay the cow man hand- O Kosest comely for leave to mills the cow, but the cow man declined. Just arise then the cow's calf died, and the 1, pug, aqui or kin cow, being very uneasy, broke out hing eye: of pasture. The neighbor, seeing s mute good-byes, the poor animal loose, opened his Supposes, gateand let her in and miiked her, Haveiye spelled Dower to her great relief, and tothe great or profit of the babies. When the Roses ! cow mein remonstrated, he forbade Souls of sweet summers fled. him to come on his land. Now re met then, should the neighbor have rlandil Of Love with livi But when June clo: shoo'd off the cow and let her dry up, While his babies were clamor- ing for milk, merely be and the cow's owner couldn't make terms? Let them go to law about it if necessary, but meanwhile the cow should be milked, | I ause he Strewn for Love's hapless dead *. Martin. “DID sour mother accompany you to the ball?" I left her at home home without a * What's WUOGMENT: : st mother? bie } ULYSSES ACITIZEN HELEN. TIMON .y | OF ITHACA oF ROME oF TROY oF ATHENS | 7 CLaSse SEW YoORKERS. Labor-Saving. )GGS are very high, Huggins that three industrions hens, by join- DORSN'T LOOK VERY PROMISING, RUT te MAY says—fifty cents a dozen in the — ing forces, can afford to hire an office TURN OFT ant roHT. country, So high, Huggins says, and employ a typewriter. comicbooks.com