Judge — October 10, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts agricultural exploitation through surrealist imagery. A massive insect (representing "big humbugs"—fraudulent schemes or exploitative interests) looms over struggling farmers. The farmers appear distressed while controlling horses, suggesting they're laboring hard despite external pressures. A sign reading "100,000 MAJORITY" and text mentioning "SHORTEST STUMP" likely references a political election or agricultural policy debate of the Judge magazine era (likely late 19th or early 20th century). The rural farmhouse in the background emphasizes this is about rural livelihoods. The cartoon critiques whatever "humbugs" (corrupt practices, unfair policies, or monopolistic business interests) Judge's editors believed were harming American farmers—a recurring populist concern in this period.