Judge, 1895-08-10 · page 9 of 16
Judge — August 10, 1895 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge page satirizes New York's "dry Sunday" laws (prohibition of alcohol sales on Sundays), likely from the early 1900s. The cartoons mock the laws' ineffectiveness and hypocrisy: **Top panel**: A New Yorker claims New York's "dry" Sundays are drier than the Sahara Desert—exaggerated boasting about the law's strictness. **Middle panels**: Show the law's absurd consequences—police unable to enforce it, a clergyman frustrated by parishioners sneaking out for drinks during services, and workers circumventing restrictions. **Bottom panel**: A woman reveals her husband uses "dry Sundays" strategically: he gets drunk Saturday, feels guilty Monday morning, and bribes her with money. Now sober, he gives only kisses—implying the law backfired financially for wives. The overall message: these blue laws are unenforceable, breed hypocrisy, and fail to achieve moral reform. The satire targets both the laws themselves and New Yorkers' smug self-righteousness about them.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
0 R Jer new Ares, DESERT OF SANARA. Naw-Yoruan (¢o Aras)—“ Call this dry! Why it ain't in it with New York on a Sunday.” LEN EFLORABLE COMDITION OF NEW YORK POLICE I THE “DRY SUNDAYS" CONTINUE. ‘One oF tHE (indignantly)—" Murmm's extra day, is he? Wonder if he t'inks he'sa pocket edi * Fox's Book of Martyrs* all by bimself? Mumm’s ax-tea dry, ia be? Oh, rate!” Neen eee sere the ererane HORRIBLE wisn, Parson Birraanc (o/ Deadguich, (¢ Aldali 14)—" See here, Ike, that makes seven times you've gone out “see 2 man.” an’ thy sermon ain't half over yet. Now, nex’ Sunday you bring yer botile with yer. Ef yerdon't I hope yer'll die an’ go ' New York.” ye ** Does your husband object to * dry Sundays" 2" Bore ort eae ced co feelan dreadfully penitent Monday mornings that he'd give me at least ten dollars as a sort of penance ; but wow he feels s0 geod Monday mornings that he don't give me anything but a kiss.” Socket. Wihelms Litho Co New York. E BLUE LAWS. comicbooks.com