Judge, 1895-05-04 · page 16 of 16
Judge — May 4, 1895 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon satirizes a naive rural politician, "Hon. Reuben Haystack of Pumpkinville," visiting the city to assess whether reform is needed. The sequential panels show him encountering urban hazards—particularly cable cars—that repeatedly strike and injure him. Despite these chaotic experiences, he returns "full of determination to push legislation adverse to the city," meaning he wants to pass laws *against* urban interests. The satire cuts both ways: it mocks both the bumbling country politician too foolish to navigate city life, and implicitly critiques rural legislators who make anti-urban policy based on prejudice rather than genuine understanding. The cartoon suggests that even direct experience with city problems doesn't generate sympathy—only antagonism toward cities themselves.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
comicbooks.com Ia getting out of the way of one cable-car he is struck by another. He goes back full of determination to push legislation adverse to the eity. ‘Socket Witheims Litho Co New York, THE HON. REUBEN HAYSTACK OF PUMPKINVILLE VISITS THE CITY. His tour of investigation to judge for himself if it really needs reform.