Life, 1905-05-04 · page 29 of 48
Life — May 4, 1905 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains social commentary on animal cruelty in early 20th-century New York. The main article "Don't Kick a Dog Because He Has No Friends" criticizes the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) for failing to address the city's growing stray dog problem. The author argues the organization lacks sufficient funding or manpower, while private citizens do more to help homeless dogs than the SPCA itself. The accompanying cartoons use humor to address related social issues: the top cartoon satirizes fortune-hunting marriages, while "Justifiable Homicide" and "Goaded Into It" suggest that cruel behavior often stems from desperation or provocation—implying society shares responsibility when people act brutally. The overall message: vulnerable beings (animals and the poor) deserve protection and compassion rather than dismissal or cruelty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- 523 appeal meets with no response or with harsh rebuff; he is pushed roughly away, driven from each door which he vainly hoped might open to admit him to comfort, warmth, food, life and love. When his day of hunger, terror and utter despair and wretch- edness is over, where can he lie down to sleep in the long, bitterly cold night? On some doorstep or in some gateway, to be cruelly ejected, without so much as a crust to lessen his fainting hunger, in the morning. Poor, faithful, loving-hearted dog, he done nothing to deserve the terrible fate to which the master whom he loved and trusted has con- signed him. To turn horses or cattle out without food or shelter is very rightly held as a punishable offence; why, then, should similar justice be denied to dogs? Why should they be thus treated, and the inhuman brutes who perpetrate this ruthless cruelty goscot free?—C. A. M. Bailey, National Canine Defence League. Goaded Into It. GUPERINTENDENT:: Madam, you say the conductor used insulting lan; But what did you do? MAKE IT PLEASANT FOR Hit. IF HUDBY'S RICH AND VERY OLD, AND YOU ARE POOR, THOUGH NEW I wanted to get off the car at my corner, you snov TO MAKE we “Oh, well, I knew he must have had some cause." FOR INSTANCE, IP HE'S RATING JUST LAUGH AND SAY, “JOUN, DEAR, EMOFE YoU CHOKE !"" Don’t Kick a Dog Because He Has No Friends. T has been fre- quently observed that there are more stray dogs, than formerly, about the streets of New York. If so, where are the numcrous agents of the S. P. C. A. So- ciety who are supposed to mitigate these things? Not enough of them, probably. Not money enough to hire others. Or, are they busy with more im- portant matters?—keeping in order, perhaps, the monumental home of the S. P. C. A. Well, we know, personally, several ladies who take in these wanderers and care for them, other- wise homeless dogs in New York would be thicker than leaves in Valambrosa. The following extract may be of interest to some of Lire’s readers: A homeless dog is one of the saddest creatures and one of the saddest sights on earth. He is oe ; hungry, thirsty, tired, cold, possibly ill; he looks up "Site ous Kaeo ee ROOUSH SEER, with pitiful, imploring eyes into the faces of those “sty uirrur sox—ne's THREE YEARS OLD—SAID," POPrER, WHO MADE GoD"? who seem to him kindly, but usually his timid 17'S ETIQUETTE TO FELL HIM WHERE M® STANDS f JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE. comicbooks.com