Life, 1911-03-02 · page 11 of 52
Life — March 2, 1911 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the "International Reform Bureau," which the text identifies as an organization running Mormon missionaries in England and Scotland to prohibit their proselytizing activities. The cartoon by Art Walker depicts a woman scolding a man about his lifestyle habits—smoking cigars, drinking alcohol, and neglecting his horse. The satire's point: the magazine ridicules the Bureau's presumption to dictate moral behavior to others. The accompanying "If" section uses a horse-care analogy to mock the organization's intrusive approach, suggesting that imposing such strict behavioral standards is as absurd as over-regulating animal husbandry. The overall message criticizes moral reformers as busybodies who lack practical wisdom about human nature and individual liberty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
F we wanted to be real mean about it, we might say that in looking about for some symbol to typify the modesty of the modern woman, we happily lighted upon that circumambient bird, the peacock. But we have no intention of being mean, or of making any unjust insinuations; on the contrary, we believe that peacocks have their uses; we are by no means certain that they are not essential; we have long re- gretted that the peacock is not the national bird (as a matter of fact, we believe that he is), and we take pleasure in dedi- cating to him this number of Lire. To be interesting requires courage. Bores are rarely cour- ageous; their persistency consists in a certain kind of timidity —they are afraid to be alone with themselves, hence what ap- pears to be their extraordinary assurance in sticking to others, But to be really interesting one must present the truth audaciously. It would be unjust, however, to assume that because this is a Peacock’s Number, and because it is devoted to the ladies, that we mean to assert that all women are peacocks. On the contrary, we firmly believe that some of them are not. That is why we intend’ to reserve for other numbers the felicitation of other kinds of women. In accordance with the well-known temperament of this well-known bird, we have spread ourselves in this number. After all, dear madam, when you peruse it, remember, please, that it is not you that we mean; we are always referring to the other lady across the way. And it is in this kindly and charitable spirit that we invite you to its contents. Shoo! Mormons; Shoo! “TNTERNATIONAL REFORM BUREAU” is an ominous title, but there seems to be good behind To this bu- reau the papers credit the labors of its delegate, Hans Freece, in running down Mormon missionaries in England and Scot- land and stirring up the British Government to prohibit their proselytizing activities. The New York Times says Mr. Freece has located more than three hundred of them busy in Great Britain getting young women to emigrate to Utah. Prussi and Hungary have ruled them out. To exclude these peculiar fanatics seems as proper a matter for government action as the suppression of the white slave traffic. If F you had a highly intelligent thoroughbred horse, to whom ¢ greatly attached, what would you do for him in order to bring him to the highest point of efficiency? Would you teach him, at great inconvenience and after many repetitions, to smoke from ten to fifteen cigars a day, ARP WALKER He: we PATIENT, DARLING, THINK HOW LONG WE MEN HAVE UNCOMPLAININGLY BUTTONED UP You WoMEN. and would you mix with his oats all the way from a pint to a quart of alcohol? Would you reinforce this by overloading his stomach with highly spiced food, and add all the narcoti that were in the market, such as tea, coffee, cte.? Would you keep him in a heated stable, without fresh air, make him sit up at all hours of the night, and permit all the veterinarians in the neighborhood to hold consultations and operate upon him as often as they needed the money? And if you did all this, what sort of a race would you expect that horse to win? comicbooks.com