Life, 1910-05-19 · page 15 of 40
Life — May 19, 1910 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1919 *Life* magazine page contains two satirical pieces: **Top cartoon**: Shows various animals (dogs, rabbits, etc.) holding protest signs demanding voting rights and other reforms ("Votes for Dogs," "Down with Pasteur," "Stop Vivisection"). The satire mocks suffragists and progressive reformers by equating their demands to absurd animal activism—suggesting their causes are as ridiculous as animals voting. **"Abuse of Power" article**: Critiques a Western town librarian who canceled the library's *Life* subscription due to disagreeing with the magazine's editorial positions. The piece defends *Life*'s editorial freedom and argues that individual prejudice shouldn't dictate public institutions. Ironically, it notes *Life* actually benefits financially from library cancellations, since poorer patrons read free copies rather than buying subscriptions. **Historical context**: This reflects early 20th-century tensions over institutional censorship, free speech, and the role of public libraries—issues that remain relevant today.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VIVISECTION GIVE YS THe BALLOT ‘AMD we with STOP IT why Not? In the meantime, what will become of them without their mother’s instinctive, loving care? Can it be, as they say, that these giant creatures have souls? If so, in what a depth of ignorance must they be in- volved to commit, with coarse mirth and every appearance of delight, such a frightful tragedy! Abuse of Power OME misplaced person who happens to be in charge of the public library in a Western town has canceled the institution's annual subscription to Lire. The rea- son alleged is disapproval of Lire’s LV freedom in commenting on certain matters of public own. That the personal prejudice, narrowness or bigotry of any individual or individuals in charge of such an insti- tution should be permitted to abridge the privileges of those for whom it was intended is an abuse of their power and a betrayal of the confidence reposed in them, Librarians and library committees are not always the broadest-minded - persons in the world. The mechanical association with books doesn’t mean necessarily an absorption of the culture they contain. In fact, it is an occupation of much petty d and calculated to cramp rather than expand the views of those engaged in it. On all of which accounts Lire is compelled to sympa- thize with the patrons of the institution referred to rather than bemoan the loss of a subscriber. intere! Peeuniarily Lire would be better off if all public libraries took the same action. Many persons read Lire in the public li- braries who would otherwise buy it at news-stands or subscribe for it. The dog’s-eared condition of each copy. after it has been on file for a day or two, is fair evidence that Lire is popu- lar with the patrons of these institu- tions, and it is a reasonable inference that among them are many who would buy the journal if they could not se- cure a reading of it otherwise. On the other hand, the great bulk of patrons of the public libraries are persons of limited means, The li- braries are created and maintained at public expense mainly for those who cannot afford to have libraries of their Mrs. Lion: TW18 oNk WITH THE white SKIN, CHILDREN, 18 KNOWN AS THE “KING OF BEASTS. comicbooks.com