Judge, 1890-05-31 · page 10 of 24
Judge — May 31, 1890 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes late-19th-century American sectional politics through two cartoons. **"They Are Friends Now"** depicts Union Colonel Redbud and Confederate Major Blossom greeting warmly—symbolizing post-Civil War reconciliation. However, their reconciliation immediately collapses into violence when they dispute tariff policy. The Colonel accuses the Major's (Democratic) party of free-trade destruction and voter suppression in the South; the Major retorts with "Rats!" They fight, leaving the Colonel with a black eye he euphemistically calls "decorating." The satire's point: American sectional "friendship" is superficial and fragile, instantly shattered by partisan economic disagreements. The cartoon mocks both sides' inability to move past Civil War animosity despite proclaimed unity. **"The Ostrich and the Snake"** (five-panel sequence below) appears to be an unrelated fable illustration, its satirical meaning unclear from this page alone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE RETURN FROM THE DRIVE. speR—‘* Well, I nevah !” De Kixk—" Twap bwoke down up neah the Roulevard, deah boy. Have to come home in good fawm, d’y'know.”” SOME TALK IS EXPENSIVE. 1, TALK is cheap.” “Is it? I guess you never paid a lawyer for pleading your case.” THEY ARE FRIENDS NOW. ing to decorate the graves of the blue and the gray asked Colonel Redbud’s wife as the gallant officer arrayed himself in his uniform, “We are, my dear,” replied the colonel. the scars left by,the late fratri banks of fragrant flowers. must remember that the union and the confederate are brethren who now dwell together in unity, though they dif- fered so terribly a quarter of a century ago. Colonel Redbud had gone but a short distance from the house when he met Major Blossom, who was an officer in the con- federate army. “Tam proud to meet and shake hands with you “Ol The time has arrived when lal war should be buried beneath sweet The bloody chasm must be bridged, and we soldier The major was proud too, Nothing gave him more pleasure t Spasm three. THE OSTRICH AND THE SNAKE. IN FIVE SPASMS, Spasm four hearty hand-shake from one who, when a foe, fought with such superb courage, and who now displayed such rare magnanimity. After some conversation on this topic Major Blossom said: “Colonel, your party is driving this country to destruction with its blamed tariff ideas.” “ Major,” replied the colonel hotly, if your party had its way it would ruin the country with free trade as it tried to ruin it in 1861 by other means. The same spirit is there yet, You can see it protruding its reptilian head in disfranchising voters in the south, in opposing the opera- tion of national law, in obstructing legislation in congress, in "— “Rats!” interrupted the major. “I consider that an insult!" retorted the colonel, “Consider it what you please!" ‘The major's tone and words breathed defiance. Biff! The colonel hit the major between the eyes: but the latter promptly responded, and the col- s right optic was a ades darker. Friends who hap- pened along at this time separated the combatants and they went home. As Mrs. Redbud caught sight of her hus- band’s black eye she asked : “Colonel Redbud, what have you been Decorating,” he answered sadly. Spasm five. comicbooks.com