Life, 1912-10-03 · page 15 of 56
Life — October 3, 1912 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts an elegant interior where well-dressed figures appear to be at a social gathering. The caption suggests someone proposes "hypnotizing" people to make them docile—forcing them to merely "dine" rather than dance or act independently, thus serving a "useful purpose." The satire targets upper-class attempts to control and pacify the working classes or political opponents. The irony is sharp: the speaker treats human subjugation as practical social management, as if people were problems to be managed like the Staten Island dog problem discussed in the adjacent text. Below, "Political Platitudes of the Present" mocks politicians' vague, recycled rhetoric about "making history" and current events being unprecedented, while simultaneously comparing present circumstances to the Civil War era (1860). The satire suggests politicians speak in empty clichés without substantive analysis. Together, these pieces critique both elite paternalism and political dishonesty of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THBY ARE SE “I'm Pleased” yas from the New York Tribune: Dogs on Staten Island are being so closely confined to back yards and cellars that the Department of Health's campaign on unleashed and unmuzzled dogs in the streets of the Borough of Richmond has resulted in the shooting of only seventy-cight dogs in the six weeks of warfare. Health Commissioner Lederle was informed yesterday of the number of dogs shot, and was also told that the dogs were being kept off the streets. “ I'm pleased, if that’s the case,” said the Commission- er. “If owners keep their dogs off the street the results will be equally beneficial.” There have been no complaints recently about rabid dogs on Staten Island. Looks as if it was about time for the dogs to get OM, 1 SIMPLY TYPNOTIZE THEM. THEY WOULD NEVER DANCE, NOR DO ANYTHING HUT DINE. AT LAST YING A USEFUL PURPOSE.” together and confine certain humans to their own back yards. Can it be that Commissioner Lederle himself is a wifle rabid? Political Platitudes of the Present “W are making history rapidly.” “Tt is a very peculiar situation.” “Things are certainly mixed up.” “IT don't remember another campaign like it.” “T wouldn't be surprised to see almost anything hap- pen.” “There is a very close resemblance between this and the campaign of 1860." comicbooks.com