Life, 1912-01-25 · page 17 of 44
Life — January 25, 1912 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical commentary on Philadelphia** and includes two separate pieces: **"Perseus and Andromeda"** (left illustration): A classical mythology reference presented as social satire. The caption explains that Philadelphia—historically dismissed as slow—is actually "in advance of everything else." The satire is ironic: Philadelphia is mocked for being the "home of advertising, the originator of almanacs, the crypt of old jokes," suggesting it recycles tired material while pretending to progressiveness. The article sarcastically praises the city's "blue blood" elite and notes that wealthy Philadelphians seasonally migrate to Northern resorts, enriching resort owners. **"A Fable"** (right side): A moral dialogue between a Patent Medicine Advertisement and a Doctor's Sign. The Patent Medicine openly admits to lying but argues it works because people *want* to believe false claims. The satire critiques both fraudulent advertising and public gullibility—the real problem isn't the liar but the willing audience. This reflects Progressive Era concerns about patent medicine deception. Both pieces target pretense, false advertising, and societal complicity in accepting lies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA stove, the almanac and advice—enable the Ladies’ Home Journal to continue the grand work of civilization, so u now we live in ease and com- fort. Philadelphia has been termed slow by some misguided critics. As a mat- ter of fact, Philadelphia is the only place in this country in advance of everything else. And its reputation for slowness has really been a premedi- tated sort of advertising dodge in order to conceal its real progressiveness from the rest of us. The best cooking comes from Phila- delphia, and Philadelphia society: still remains immune to certain deterrent influences which are much more ap- parent elsewhere. Philadelphia also has a system of mirrors in front of the windows of its homes, which enables people inside to know everything that is going on out- side. Its plays, with occasional trivial ex ceptions, are only those plays which have been tried out in New York or other places. In fact, Philadelphia lies in another much more advanced circle. It is the home of advertising, the originator of almanacs, the crypt of old jokes and *LIFE* the citadel of blue blood. Every spring, from its rapidly accumulat- ing heat centers, issue forth thou- sands of desirable people who go to our Northern summer resorts to be a joy and a profit to their pro- prietors. We therefore salute Philadelphia. We salute the shades of William Penn and Benjamin Franklin, We inform them of the fact that if they had con- tinued their crude and primi- tive methods up to the present time, each one of them, by ability and industry, might now be running his own spe- cial ‘department in the adics’ Home Jour- VERYTHING comes to him who wv I sup- pose,” said the res- taurant diner pa- tiently. “Yes, suh,” answered the colored waiter, “but the gentleman what won't wait done gets his first.” N OTHING sue gressor. ceds like the trans- A Fable P isn't my fault,” said the Patent ine Advertisement to the Doctor's Sign that hung near the billboard. “You need not blame me if your business is small. Of course, I lie. I can't deny that to you. But, what of it? [keep my firm busy. It isn't my business to consider your in- terests.’ “But the people,” said the Doctor's Sign, “have you no regard for them?” “Certainly,” the Patent Medicine Advertisement replied, “as long as they believe me I do for them just what I promise. So I don’t lie to them.” “But to mn, Well, yes, 1 admit that I lie to you. But the people don't believe you when you tell them so. Better keep your knowledge of me to yourself and spend your time looking about you for some way to inspire more faith. I'll tell you privately” (the voice of the Patent Medicine Advertisement sank to a whisper), “that’s our whole game.” Ada J. Miller. me?” said the Doctor's ISE men change their minds if they grow wiser. QUAKERS comicbooks.com