Life, 1912-05-16 · page 20 of 52
Life — May 16, 1912 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces mocking contemporary figures and ideas: **"Hyslop's Resurrection Scheme"** ridicules Professor James Hervey Hyslop, a Columbia University psychologist claiming to communicate with the dead. Life sarcastically suggests his real goal is vaudeville entertainment—materializing famous historical spirits (Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Samuel Johnson) as stage acts. The satire targets both spiritualism's pseudoscientific pretensions and the commercialization of occult claims. The joke hinges on the absurdity: why would famous dead figures perform in ten-minute variety acts, and would audiences prefer them to contemporary entertainers like George Cohan? **"Still Another Investigation"** comments on Henry W. A. Page's indictment for publicly calling Congressmen crooks. Life's satire is biting: they mock Congress's typical indifference to criticism while suggesting it would be better if Congress investigated itself rather than Page—implying Congress won't honestly examine corruption charges. The page header cartoon shows a spiritualist séance scene, visually supporting the Hyslop critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHICH IS IT, Hyslop’s Resurrection Scheme ROF. JAMES HERVEY HY- SLOP, well known in spiritualis- tic circles, and incidentally professor of psychology, and connected with Co- lumbia University, has recently been communicating with Frank R. Stock- ton. Professor Hyslop says that Mr. Stockton is writing short stories in the spirit world. Some years ago Professor Hyslop announced that he would soon have ir- refragable proof that we could com- municate with the dead, and since that time he has been hobnobbing with all of the notable mediums in order to establish his thesis. What Professor Hyslop’s ultimate idea is we cannot tell, but, this being a commercial age, we presume that it must be vaudeville. Only one slight difficulty at present lies in Professor Hyslop’s way, and that is the question of materializing spirits long enough to make them ap- pear visible on the ordinary stage. When this difficulty is surmounted—as it probably will be soon—we shall ex- pect to have Professor Hyslop tour the country with a select band of high- class vaudevillians, We have long wanted to know what Dr. Samuel Johnson and Julius Cesar would do in a ten-minute act. We have an idea that Cleopatra and Rabelais could perform some useful “stunts.” In fact, the field seems to be practically unlimited. Tf you can call back one spirit, there is no reason why you should not be PITTSBURGH able to call back another one. And it only remains for Professor Hyslop’s ingenuity to get the right combination, With all of the historical characters to draw upon he ought to be able to offer us some interest and excitement. The only objection is that the public as a rule clamors for something new. Aristophanes produced some inter- esting comic operas, taking part in them himself. He had all of the ele- ments which make for success. But would he succeed now? If Professor Hyslop could put him on the stage, would he be as popular as George Cohan? We hesitate about mentioning this slight dilemma for fear that it might deter some timid angel from advane- ing Hyslop enough money to float his venture. evertheless we might as well be honest about these matters first as last. Still Another Investigation NE of the optimistic signs of the times is the alacrity with which Mr. Henry W. A. Page was indicted for charging that all Congressmen are crooks. * Hitherto the tendency has been for Congressmen to show indif- ference as to what they were called, even though many slighting remarks have been wafted in their direction. We are glad the matter is to be in- vestigated. It would, of course, be better if Congress did the investigat- ing itself, for then the outcome would be less in doubt. The investigation is to be in the nature of a trial before OR MT. VEsUVIUS? >” the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia. If Mr. Page can prove they are crooks we want to know it. If the Congressmen can prove they are not, we shall breathe easier. YER: Aren't millionaires rather common in Pittsburgh? Ayer: About the same as elsewhere. NOT THE SHADOW OF A DOUBT “T WONDER IF [CAN FOOL THE OLD LADY THIS TIME” comicbooks.com