Life — November 7, 1912 — page 31: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes religious hypocrisy during the Progressive era. A group of clergy members wearing robes sing from hymnals inside a cathedral, while "ME" stands atop the building's cross—suggesting self-interest has replaced spiritual values at the church's center. The initials "I.P.R." (likely "Inner Personal Religion") mark the structure. The note explains this image was "withheld from the Bull Moose Number"—referencing Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 Progressive Party campaign. The satire suggests Progressive reformers, despite their moral rhetoric about social justice, were driven by personal ambition rather than genuine principle. The cartoon critiques the disconnect between religious/political ideals and actual motivation.