Life — November 17, 1904 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from *Life* magazine: **Top cartoon ("Comparative Evolution"):** A visual pun showing a stagecoach full of well-dressed passengers pulled by horses, with the caption "The Monk: and after all I've done to make them a credit to the family!" The joke plays on Darwin's theory of evolution, sarcastically suggesting humans have "evolved" from monkeys—but modern society remains chaotic and undignified. **Bottom section ("Temperance"):** Satirizes the Women's Christian Temperance Union's crusade against alcohol. The text mocks wealthy women's hypocrisy regarding champagne while advocating temperance. The accompanying sketch shows a child with a dog, captioned "Probably Not"—a young girl unable to coax obedience from her pet, suggesting women reformers are similarly ineffective at controlling social behavior. Both pieces critique contemporary moral reform movements through humor and irony.