Judge, 1896-11-07 · page 16 of 16
Judge — November 7, 1896 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mocks the 1896 U.S. presidential campaign through multiple cartoons depicting a political parade or rally. The satire targets: **Campaign Theatrics**: The cartoons ridicule the elaborate spectacle of political campaigns—torches, parades, hired crowds—suggesting candidates rely on hollow pageantry rather than substance. **Voter Quality**: References to hiring "hobos" to "swell the ranks" and the "Podunk" delegation using pumpkins as torches mock the desperation to inflate crowd sizes and the poor quality of supporters. **Ethnic/Racial Mockery**: The OCR text contains period-appropriate offensive language reflecting 1896 attitudes (now unacceptable). **Ineptitude**: Jokes about burned participants, discovered alcohol in torches, and general chaos satirize campaign disorganization. The overall message: 1896 campaign spectacles were manufactured, populated by questionable participants, and fundamentally absurd—a critique of political theater that, while expressed through offensive 1890s conventions, critiques campaign artificiality broadly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Major McManus— Carpor'l Casey will see thot Te, bov th’ Boanpittle courpe doubled to-alght—our loine av ma-r-r-ch goes troo Thompson street, where all thim Raypublican coons live.” The campaign hernalia will come in handy for fishing outéts, Carrain—" Will that man that was burned in the rear rank vecover ?”" 5. CosronaL O'Donnmit—" Tank hiven, yes, captin. It wor ren foire he wor burned wid.” 3 ‘The Podunk **sound-mouey " aggregation had no torches, but their pumpkin patches came in mighty bandy in this emergency. Goram—sl 1 dean’, go rue ith that hobo crowd you hired to swell the ranks."" ‘Sackett 4 Witheims Litho Co New York Carrain—" By gosh ! they've discovered the alcohol in the torches."* COPYMONT 1896, BY THE JUDGE PUBLISMING COMPANY OF HEW YORK, CAMPAIGN OF '96. comicbooks.com